


Waiting Game

by TheRedHarlequin



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Gen, LawKid, M/M, Multi, One Piece - Freeform, Romance, waiting game
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-23
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-01-26 05:41:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 62,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1676822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRedHarlequin/pseuds/TheRedHarlequin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kid was trying his hardest to become more than what has been expected of him his entire life. While trying to apply for college, he receives an unexpected offer from a man who is much more than what appearances would lead one to believe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've decided to bring my works over to AO3! To let everyone know who may not know me from ff.net, this story is beta'd by the lovely Mai Kuskabe, author of the One Piece fanfics 'In The Shadows', 'Singed', and many many more! Go and plague her on ff.net :D She's an awesome writer and my beloved mentor!

Law reclined slowly in his chair with a sigh, loosening his tie. He closed his eyes for a few moments before giving himself a slight mental shake to refocus and look at more of the applications spread out on his desk in front of him.

Picking another hopeful student's application form, he idly skimmed over it and dropped it on the read through pile, not finding anything of interest in the file, just another student with almost perfect grades. He reached for the remaining files and took a handful, leafing through them in hopes that something would catch his attention, but dropped them back down on the desk when that didn't happen.

There were still many applications to be sorted through and he had no doubt tonight would be another long one, so he decided he may as well be comfortable.

He picked up the stack of yet to be read resumes and moved to the coffee table before the very comfortable leather couch he had bought for times like this.

Lightly dropping them down on the table, he sighed when he heard some of the papers slide to the floor. Before sitting down or picking them up, though, he eyed the bar and the whiskey tumblers on it and decided he really could use a drink.

Long gloved fingers grasped the bottle's neck and removed the stopper before selecting a glass. Once he'd served himself and returned everything to its proper place he took a moment to sip and enjoy the strong flavor before swallowing slowly. He exhaled softly before returning to the tedious but necessary task awaiting him.

Striding over to where he'd left the documents, he placed his glass upon the low rise table with a subtle click before kneeling down to pick up and reorganize the fallen application forms.

Once he'd sorted and straightened them into something manageable he made to stand up, only to stop when something caught his attention.

Laying the folders he held aside and shifting a bit, he lifted almost half the small stack of documents that had remained on the table to reach the one that held what he now realized was a picture, which had apparently slipped somewhat out of its respective folder. Though he could only see the applicant's hair, its color alone was enough to peak Law's curiosity.

The folder's cover had the red sticker his secretary placed on the applicants' forms designated as 'bottom looks'. Those that due to their grades, or any other 'undesirable' factor, didn't stand a real chance of obtaining a scholarship at their school.

His eyes moved to look at the name written on the tab, and he smirked slightly, amused at what he read. Curiosity now peaked twice, this time at what kind of parents would name their child that way, he opened the file.

He wasn't sure what he expected to find, maybe a hopeful boy who went through a rebel phase and didn't have the good sense to hide the evidence of it when he sent out his applications to avoid being instantly discarded by the more elitist schools, but he certainly wasn't expecting what met his eyes.

* * *

  
  
When it rained this hard, many, if given the choice, preferred to stay inside. Maybe curl up in a blanket and watch TV with their loved ones. Those who believed themselves to be decent would send a sympathetic thought to those who may be trapped outside in such miserable conditions.

The idyllic thought made him want to punch something.

_'I'd like to see one of them walking in this shit right now.'_ Kid shook his head to rid himself of the strands of hair that kept falling into his eyes, seemingly just to piss him off.

Fucking rain.

Fucking bus routes and the rich assholes who decided them.

Fucking rich assholes who think they get to decide who gets to go where.

Kid sighed.  _'Fucking college execs.'_

Though as much as he'd love to curse everyone else for his problems he wouldn't place blame on others for his own faults. Real men didn't blame others for their own fuck ups. It was his own damn fault he didn't try harder in school, despite the shitty teachers and even shittier environment. His lack of effort to show something resembling a brain in the academic department was what was causing his own damn trouble.

Maybe if he'd tried harder. Paid attention more...

But fuck that shit. It was here and now. And right now the only thing that was going to save his record and any hope of a future that didn't involve him breaking his back or walking the streets, busting skulls for territory and cash, was busting his own ass on these finals.

The last one had been today and he hoped the headaches and all-nighters Killer helped him pull would be worth it. If they didn't, then at least he had tried and would have no one to blame but himself.

That didn't mean he couldn't bitch about it.

And if it meant it kept his temper in check enough not to get picked up by the cops for property damage again, and Killer not having to take time out of his job to pick him up and haggle with those military drones disguised as police, then he'd fucking mentally degrade and dismember every single person and object he could think of.

With that thought in mind he continued to curse everyone and everything that pricked at his already raw nerves.

After what felt like ages but was really just over an hour, he spotted his street and felt the rain begin to let up.

_'Figures it would stop just when I finally get home.'_  Kid grumbled to himself. It would have been too fucking convenient for it to stop, forcing him to walk the two miles in the pouring ass rain and came out of it feeling like a drowned cat.

He almost regretted turning down Killer's offer to drive him home.

But he knew Killer most likely had work he had put aside to help him so much this past week and didn't want him getting into shit with his boss over him. Especially after Killer had given up the better part of three hours of his day, and that was after waiting over two hours for him to finish his last exam, to talk about applications for student loans and payment plans for when the acceptance letters started arriving.

Only they hadn't.

Kid had been avoiding telling Killer yet as he was hoping that at least a few would come in soon. The only letters he'd gotten so far were all formal and very politely written ways of saying 'go fuck yourself'.

He sighed, pushing back the hair that had fallen into his face for the umpteenth time in the last hour as it was completely soaked. He didn't know why he even bothered as it slid right back into his face.

At least the coolness of the rain had helped his flaring temper to keep from exploding on the nearest object in frustration.

Finally refocusing on his surroundings, and somewhat irritated at his own negligence as letting his guard down was not the smartest damn thing to be caught doing in this area, he stopped at his corner's mail dropbox.

He knelt down and scowled at the cold that seeped through his jeans from the concrete. Pulling out the chain holding his keys he jammed one into the rusty lock, having to struggle to jerk open the faded blue door to see whatever had been delivered that day.

Prying open the damn scrap metal could be a pain in the ass, but it was better than having to open it like they used to, the lid having rusted so much that crowbars were doing more harm than good. A mailman's protection for the price of a key saved a lot of hassle.

Having gathered up the handful of letters along with a small package, he took care to hold them away from his waterlogged frame, as he slammed the door shut. Kicking it to ensure it closed properly, he twisted the key again before yanking it out to return the keys to his pocket.

Glancing at the package to check who it was addressed to, he started sorting through the letters as he stomped across the wet cement of the sidewalk over to the seemingly abandoned building only a few feet from the dropbox.

He shouldered open the door and winced at the almost screeching noise it made. He made a mental note to come back down later and oil the hinges again.

Glancing around the rundown yet clean lobby, he noted from the silence that no one was here. The quiet felt a bit unsettling. He was long used to there being someone around when he came back. Usually in a situation like this, there would have been someone like Wire to welcome him home with a warm cup of coffee. Or in Heat's case, someone quietly fussing over the state of his watered down form. Though in others he would probably be tackled by an over enthusiastic pair of brothers. Half the time ending with him knocked flat on his ass, which would start a broken record of horrified apologies, arguments of whose fault it was between the brothers, and pandering adoration directed towards him.

On second thought, quiet could be nice sometimes.

Snorting, Kid made his way to the staircase, skipping the second step almost instinctively, and started up to the rooms. There was an elevator but the redhead didn't see the point of using it when he could just walk up one flight of stairs.

He flipped through the letters again to make sure they were in the right order before he reached the landing. Kid looked up to see the empty hall lined with doors, small tables placed next to the entrance of the occupied rooms, the doors of which were painted in a different color each, also decorated in the twins' case.

He walked down the hallway, dropping the mail on its corresponding table. The package was for the twins, and Kid could only hope it didn't contain fireworks this time.

After delivering the mail, he paused to look at the single envelope that was left, addressed to him. The redhead scowled down at the obviously expensive paper as he checked the sender's address. Another college letter, and, without a doubt, another rejection.

With a huff of irritation, he decided to read the undoubtedly negative contents of the letter after a shower.

He walked over to his own door and, without bothering to use a key, he pushed open the door, not minding when it stuck only slightly. He did take note of the faded red color and reminded himself to scrounge up some paint for another coat later.

_'Just another thing to add to the damn list.'_  He thought tiredly.

Heading inside, he closed the door with his foot and walked towards his bedroom. Stopping only to toss the useless piece of paper on the kitchenette's table, he determinedly headed for the shower in hopes of both warming up and maybe actually relax.

All the studying and exams had left him tense and tired as hell.

_'But at least I'll have a break for now.'_

With a sigh, he removed his jacket and dropped it on the floor to be picked up and put away the next day. His boots came next, toeing them off and sending them flying in opposite directions with loud, and highly satisfying, thumps emitting from wherever they had landed.

He stopped to tug his plain t-shirt over his head and unbuckle his belt before pushing the soaked jeans down to his ankles, tossing the shirt and kicking the jeans away from him. He hadn't had the time to grab a pair of boxers that morning so that left him free of clothing.

He walked into the bathroom and switched the lights on.

He padded over to the shower stall and wrenched the hot water on full blast before mixing in some cold to make it bearable. He tested the temperature once, then stepped in and closed the stall's door behind him.

He sighed, resting his forehead against the false tile and let the warm water wash over him. In just the first few seconds he could feel it working on getting rid of the chill that had set in from the rain.

Suddenly, he growled irritably, wanting to punch something but not in the mood to add patching the shower wall to his seemingly endless list of shit to do.

Despite the physical comfort the hot water offered him, which he was thankful for as his muscles had managed to loosen up a good bit, the chairs at the exam room had been crap, better suited for interrogations. Damn thing had been so uncomfortable, he hadn't been able to sit in one position for more than a few seconds without the risk of his legs or his ass falling asleep.

Thoughts drifting back to the letter waiting for him on the table, he snarled.

_'High and mighty fuckers. Surprised they'd even give me the time of day to send me a rejection letter.'_

There was nothing else it could be. The address clearly stated which school it was from, and Kid knew his chances of getting into a high class college for the rich and brilliant like that one were less than zero. Killer had said to send in an application anyway as Kid should be open to every option, even the ones that seemed impossible.

But Kid understood things fairly well, despite what Killer might think. He knew his background and less than shining record would be more than enough to get him disbarred from pretty much any decent school.

That was without taking into account that fucked up incident.

The thought made Kid clench his fists so hard he could feel his nails digging into his palms.

But as quick as it came, all the anger just seemed to drain from his body, and he leaned back against the shower wall. Face angled upwards with eyes closed, he sighed and ran his fingers once through his hair, tsking when they caught in a knot.

Remembering what he came in there for, he snatched up some shampoo and began scrubbing his scalp harshly.

_'Why do I even try? The odds are against me. No matter which way I turn. Every time I think I'm making progress, suddenly there's another roadblock pushing me back. I'm tired... Maybe it's time I just let it go. Just start a garage, or something.'_

As he finished that thought and the shampoo was rinsed from his hair, his eye caught sight of his arm. Specifically, a scar.

It had been roughly a year since he had gotten it, but it still weighed heavily in his mind.

_"So? I'm doing it cause I want to. Why should anything else matter?"_

He smirked, the expression soft but too defiant to be called a smile.

For now, he'd keep trying, at least until term started and he knew there were no more options. If only not to get shown up.

Feeling slightly better about things, and after a quick scrub down his body, he shut off the water. He decided to skip conditioning his hair for now, to just get comfortable and get something eat.

Pushing open the door and walking out of the stall, he grabbed a towel and used it first to wipe away some fog from the mirror, then to dry himself off. He caught sight of his reflection and frowned. He didn't mind not having to go through the lengthy routine of applying his usual cosmetics, but he always felt naked without them.

Killer had warned him about wearing any of his usual outfits or make up, and said that his nails, while eccentric, could pass as an acceptable fashion accessory if not drawn attention to. Anything else risked attracting the wrong kind of attention. Just his hair had been enough to raise some not so good flags already.

Killer hadn't asked him to change, just to tone it down enough to not give the school officials a seizure. He still wasn't sure of whether or not he should be offended by that last bit.

Another plus to the exams being over was that he could start feeling a bit more like himself again.

His thoughts were interrupted by the growling of his stomach.

_'The boys better not have raided my fridge while I was gone, their compliments on my cooking won't save them this time.'_

He slung the towel around his neck and headed for the kitchen, stopping just to grab a pair of soft gray sweatpants from his dresser and pull them on.

Once there, he opened the fridge suspiciously, then actually smiled when he saw that not only were all his leftovers where he left them, but that the guys had apparently picked up a small cake with 'Congrats Captain!' written on it in bold red frosted lettering.

"Bastards." He said while grinning, the deceptively harsh word full of affection and warmth.

He knew they'd probably drag him out at some point to celebrate and that this was his due warning. He would eat some later, after getting some real food in his stomach first.

Rummaging past the baked dessert to grab the leftovers wrapped up from last night, Kid just rolled his eyes when he noticed that there were a few decent mouthfuls missing.

He ripped the plastic wrap off the bowl, and scowled when it stuck to his hand. It then took him ten full seconds to be rid of it, before finally managing to throw it into the trash. Tossing the food into the microwave and pressing a button to heat, all he had to do now was wait.

He leaned back against the counter to wait, only moving to reach over and grab a fork from one of the drawers.

Turning to place the piece of silverware on the table, his eye caught on the envelope and he scowled.

The damn thing looked like it was taunting him.

He thought grimly of just burning it to at least get some satisfaction out of it, but knew he had to at least read it, if just out of curiosity of how the fuckers had decided to phrase their undoubtedly polite way of saying 'rot in hell'. It probably involved a lot of 'thank yous' for considering their oh so 'humble learning establishment', followed by their 'sincere' apologies that he would not be able to attend their school due to a 'lack of distinguished requirements' and they hoped to see his application again once he'd 'refined his studies'.

_'More like once I hit the lottery, become a millionaire, and then discover I'm the long lost fucking heir to the great kingdom bumfuckegypt, home of the fucking red haired fairies and royal pale skinned fuck ups.'_

His bitter attempt at humor was interrupted by the microwave going off and alerting him to come and get his damn food.

Grabbing his food, he sat in one of the two chairs. Kid rubbed a thumb over a random groove of the table while taking a bite of the garlic chicken.

When over half his plate was empty, his gaze settled once again on the innocent letter. Had it been sentient, it would more than likely be fearing for its existence with how the red haired youth was glaring at it. Not to mention how he was holding his fork like a shiv.

With a sigh, Kid took one more bite before he dropped his fork onto his plate with a clatter, and reached for the envelope.

He took no care with ripping the top open and retrieving the contents. He honestly couldn't see why people would spend so much money on pretty paper that would just be thrown away once it had served its purpose.

Kid shook his head free of the useless thoughts, what the rich did with their money didn't involve him, and so long as it stayed that way he wasn't really inclined to give a fuck.

As mentally prepared as he believed he was going to be, Kid unfolded the letter, smoothed it out, and started to skim the words.

Only to stop, and do so again, slower this time.

He choked on his own saliva.

Once his coughing fit calmed down, Kid shot up from his chair, clutching the letter in a death grip, and ran in search of his cell.

"Fuck, fuck, FUCK! Where is it?!"

Tripping once over one of his damn boots, nearly taking his eye out on a doorknob, and just barely missing landing on some scrap metal he hadn't had the time to put away, Kid all but dove for his coat and yanked out his phone.

Heart pounding and slightly out of breath, he dialed a number he'd memorized years ago.

"Killer?! Yeah, it's me. No, I'm fine, look, just shut up for a second. No! Just SHUT UP! You're not going to fucking believe this!"

He stared at the letter again, feeling slightly light headed.  
  


* * *

 

The automatic doors to the main office slid open before him, and Kid walked calmly, or at least he hoped so, into the large lobby of the building.

He waited in front of the desk for a few moments until she acknowledged him. When she didn't even look up, he spoke.

"Excuse me, ma'am? I'm looking for a 'Trafalgar Law'?"

She looked up with a smile fixed on her face, only for it to freeze when she got a look at him.

"What?" The tone was flat and the smile seemed forced.

He wanted to snap at her, ask if she was deaf or simply fucking stupid. Just before he did, he remembered what Killer told him.

_'Be polite, don't cause a scene, don't curse or be crude, and, please, watch your temper.'_  
  
"I'm here to see Trafalgar Law. I have an appointment."

Lips pursed like she'd tasted something bad, she said:

"I'm going to need to see some proof of it."

It was a good thing he'd brought the letter just in case something like this happened. He wasn't happy about it, but he couldn't say he hadn't half expected it.

Handing it over for her to inspect, he felt an eye twitch when she held it up to the light.

"Eustass Kid?" He really didn't like how much distaste with which she said his name.

"Yeah, that's me."  _'Patience, patience.'_  
  
"May I see your ID?"

_'Uppity fucking bitch.'_  
  
Kid jerked his wallet out of his pocket, chain jingling as he opened it and yanked out his ID. He just barely refrained from throwing it at her.

The way she took it with just the tips of her fingers as if to avoid touching his own was just plain ridiculous. He had the sudden urge to just reach over and run his hands over her keyboard and pencils. Bitch would probably have a seizure.

His attention was brought back to her when his card was set down in front of him.

"Dr. Trafalgar is currently out, but will return soon. You may wait over there."

A manicured fingernail pointed stiffly to some chairs a ways from the desk.

He grabbed his ID and put it back into his wallet before tucking it all away.

"Thanks." He mentally added.  _'Bitch.'_

He walked over to the chairs and picked one with a good vantage point of the room.

Now, with nothing to do, he took stock of his surroundings in detail. Though there really wasn't much to look at, same as any high class business place. A bunch of fake plants, too bright lights, plastic smell, and the chairs were more for looks than comfort, which he could personally attest to.

Already bored of looking around, Kid directed his attention to his feet. The boots were his best, with no holes, hardly any scuffs, and shone from the quick polish he'd given them. The reason he didn't wear them more was simply because he didn't like how the backs dug into his heels.

He thumbed the white fabric of the dress shirt Killer had lent him. He hadn't liked the implications of Killer having felt the need to bring it, but had accepted it when he'd had it shoved into his arms almost the moment Kid had opened the door to let Killer in. After he'd just finally settled on a shirt of his own no less, but he could admit it probably fit the occasion better, so he'd changed into it.

The black jeans had been an easy enough choice.

He shifted nervously in his seat, looking at his watch while fighting the urge to run his fingers through his combed hair, and thought about calling Killer.

What if he screwed this up? What if this was all just some misunderstanding and they'd put the wrong name in the letter? That would just be awkward, not to mention humiliating. He could take a punch with no problem or spit in some murderous thug's face and not give a fuck, but he could not stand embarrassing situations.

_'Maybe I should just leave before he gets here...'_  
  
He was suddenly torn from his thoughts, having zoned out while he stared at his own feet, when another pair of shoes appeared close to his own.

He looked up, and froze.

"Good morning, Eustass-ya. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."


	2. Chapter 2

At a glance, Trafalgar Law was everything and nothing Kid had been expecting.

There was the expected expensive suit, charcoal black, strangely paired with similarly colored gloves, and low heeled boots. His hair was black, and his face accentuated by an almost rugged goatee as well as sideburns.

But it was the way the man looked at him that made him freeze. His eyes were silver, an unusual color, though they weren't what caught him off guard. Kid had enough experience with odd coloring to not let it affect him much. It was the emotion in them, or, more accurately, the lack thereof. There was none of the judgment, the distaste, or sense of superiority that provoked him, as it had happened earlier with the secretary. Nothing about this man's expression was what he had been expecting.

It was almost...

Kid suddenly realized that the man was waiting for an answer, and practically shot up to his feet. Extending his hand, he replied as calmly and with as much politeness as he was capable of.

"Um, yes, it's nice to meet you too."

Trafalgar paused for a moment, Kid thought for a second that he'd screwed up somehow, when the man offered a small smile and took his hand. Kid was used to firm handshakes, or loose quick ones. This man held his hand almost gently, squeezing only once, before releasing it.

_'Must be a rich people thing or something.'_

"Allow me to apologize for my lateness. I hope you weren't waiting long."

"No! Uh, no. It's no problem. I just got here a few minutes ago."

The man's expression became unreadable for a moment, before he smiled subtly again.

"In that case, we can talk on the way. Please, follow me."

With that, Trafalgar started walking in the direction of the elevators that Kid just now noticed. Taking a deep breath, Kid followed.

It was too quiet. There wasn't even any damn elevator music.

_'Didn't he say we were going to talk?'_

Once they had entered the elevator, Trafalgar had started shuffling around some folders he had been carrying, folders Kid had just noticed.

"Rather rude, isn't she?"

Kid blinked, then he realized the man had actually spoken.

"What?"

"The receptionist."

Kid shifted nervously, not knowing how to respond to that statement.

_'Shit, is this some kind of trick question?'_

Trafalgar spoke again. "I couldn't help but to notice the way she was looking at you. It would seem no one has bothered to teach her that staring is rude."

Kid had noticed it, of course. He always hated when people stared at him, it always made his skin crawl to see how they looked down on him. Judged him. Placing him, with utter prejudice, in their neat little mental boxes with perfect little labels attached.

It set his teeth on edge and made his blood burn.

Any other day, he would have made his problem with it known straight up, usually with a lot of cursing and yelling on his end. Half the time blood ended up on the floor.

However, today was different. He couldn't screw this up.

So Kid had gritted his teeth and bore it. He was prepared to do the same through the entire interview.

But maybe he wouldn't have to.

Testing the waters, Kid shot back.

"Yeah, guess not."

"I believe that I will be having a talk with her supervisor. Such behavior is highly unbecoming of any employee of this school. I truly hope you won't let this get in the way of any decisions involving your future."

"No. It won't."

Trafalgar's expression seemed to lighten.

"Good."

Kid noticed Trafalgar's attention shift back to the folders, which gave him the chance to get a better look at his interviewer.

Now that he had the time to soak up more detail, Kid noticed some things he had missed before.

Kid guessed the man to be in his early thirties. He had bags under his eyes, and Kid wondered if he worked late nights, or maybe he just had trouble sleeping. And he wore gloves. Not leather, but a soft yet firm fabric. From the feel of them Kid would guess they were treated to be water proof.

_'But why wear them?'_  Kid wondered.  _'Not like it's cold out.'_

He'd think they were weird, but Killer had once said that Kid shouldn't criticize other's fashion choices. He didn't completely agree with it, and had even been a little put out, but Killer always gave good advice so he accepted it.

The quirks in Trafalgar's appearance aside, Kid was more interested in the man's behavior.

This was one of the first times Kid had rubbed shoulders with someone of obviously decent financial standing and it not utterly fucking suck, Killer and his boss being the only two that Kid didn't think of as complete bastards.

Everybody else he knew who'd fit into that category, he'd happily stuff in a sack and leave it in the middle of the road for Grand Line traffic.

Kid wasn't one for prejudice, he preferred to hate the individual rather than waste effort on being pissed off at some group, but it was hard not to be prejudices with as many bad experiences as he'd had enforcing the almost knee jerk reaction.

The events of last year made it near impossible.

Shaking off the bad memories, Kid refocused on his surroundings.

And nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Are you all right?"

While Kid had been zoned out, something he realized he had been doing more and more lately, Trafalgar had gotten closer. Almost too close for comfort.

Now, barely three feet away from Kid, just far enough to be socially acceptable, Trafalgar was watching him closely.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"Ah." Taking a step back, the man nodded. "I am sorry if I startled you. You grew rather quiet and did not respond when called."

"Nah, it's alright. I shouldn't space out like that."

He reached up to run a hand though his hair, only to stop when he remembered the gel he'd used on it, and just settled for rubbing the back of his neck.

"It may not be my place, but if something is bothering you, and you wish to speak about it, please feel free to do so."

Kid froze and blinked in confusion for a moment before rushing to respond.

"NO! I mean, no. It's nothing to do with you or anything. I'm sorry if I pissed you off or an-fuc-ah I didn't mean, shi-. Sorry, I'll just shut up now."

Fuck, he was so screwed now.

Kid waited anxiously for the man to politely dismiss him or something. Only it didn't come. What he heard instead shocked him.

Trafalgar was laughing.

With one hand pressed to his mouth, the man was attempting to muffle the laughter trying to escape him.

Trafalgar had a nice laugh, from what he could hear of it. It was soft but deep.

Kid could only stare. For just a minute, Trafalgar looked almost ten years younger.

Calmer now, but with an almost teasing glint in his eyes, Trafalgar spoke.

"I'm sorry for laughing. I've had a long night and your expression was priceless. Know that I am not offended by any means. Please speak freely. I find being able speak bluntly very refreshing after the stiff company I have to deal with on a daily basis."

Kid couldn't help but smile a little. Maybe this interview wouldn't be so bad after all.

"No problem."

They were interrupted by the sound of the elevator's doors opening.

Kid hadn't even noticed it stopping.

"Seems we've arrived."

Trafalgar stepped through the doors and Kid followed after him.

Kid looked around at his new surroundings, it was obvious they were pretty high up from the view of the windows. He hadn't paid attention to which number Trafalgar had pushed, but he was willing to bet they were at least fourteen stories up.

He could finally see a good portion of the campus. In the distance he could see the, to him, over sized sports stadium, alongside the expansive and really well kept gardens. The gardens were in full bloom and were something he admittedly found beautiful. Living so deep in the more rundown part of the city for most of his life didn't afford him much greenery. There were other buildings he could see farther off that he bet either had to do with dorms or classes.

But, overall, the view was impressive.

"Nice view."

Looking again at Trafalgar, he appeared almost lost for an instant before his expression became neutral again.

"I suppose it is."

The way Trafalgar said it made it sound like he'd never noticed himself.

"Don't get much time to look?"

A thoughtful look seemed to settle in the man's expression. He spoke slowly.

"When I am here, I am usually busy working. I've never given it much thought."

With that, he took a few steps towards Kid, stopping at his side and gazing out the large window.

"It is a nice view." The man said softly.

Kid stared at the man. The natural light gave his skin more warmth in color and softened his features. It just now fully registered with him that his interviewer was really, really good looking.

With a really nice smile.

_'Wait, what?'_

Kid felt his face heat up when he realized he'd been caught staring. In an attempt to save himself from any awkwardness, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"So which office is yours?"

Kid was thankful when Trafalgar replied after only a moment's pause.

"The office we will be using is this way."

That said, Trafalgar turned and started down the hall towards the only door in that direction.

Sighing in relief, Kid followed.

Once they reached the entrance, Trafalgar drew a key out from his pocket and unlocked the door before turning the knob.

While pushing the door open, Trafalgar stepped to the side and spoke.

"Please make yourself comfortable."

Kid walked past the man and went inside, quickly taking note of the space.

It was big, which he'd pretty much expected giving it was the only room down this hall he could see. The furnishings were all dark wood, mahogany he'd guess, and the seating brown leather. Expensive, he could tell, but not very interesting. The office's shelves were stuffed with books, those expensive-looking books that were too shiny to have been read and only have the objective to give a serious impression about the place.

There weren't many other things aside from the furniture and said books but a few little figurines of stuff he didn't care about and what he'd been told by Killer were 'conversational pieces'. Kid didn't really understand but didn't care enough to give them any thought.

He heard the door close behind him and turned around.

Trafalgar nodded and adjusted the folders he was holding before speaking.

"If you would like to take a seat, we can begin."

Kid turned back to the room and walked over to sit in one of the two chairs in front of the desk.

Showing a polite smile, Trafalgar made his way to the other side of the desk and seated himself.

"I hope you're comfortable, we will be here for a while, so if at any point during the interview you feel restless, please feel free to walk around."

Kid nodded and felt his earlier anxiety returning in full force.

"While I do have most of your information already from the application, I find some things don't translate well over to paper and prefer to ask certain questions in person."

Kid nodded in understanding.

"Alright."

"My first question is, what is it that you wish to study?"

_'Oh, good, an easy one.'_  Kid replied quickly. "Mechanical Engineering."

Trafalgar tilted his head. "And your reasons are?"

Kid shifted a bit and looked at his hands thinking about his answer. He wasn't used to giving personal details to people he wasn't completely familiar with.  _'But Killer said to be honest.'_

Looking back up, Kid spoke.

"Well... I've always loved making things, building things. Little stuff, big stuff. Designing. Working with metal, wood, or whatever. Whether it's taking something apart to figure out how it works or to improve it. Making things from scratch just to see what I can do. I love it."

Trafalgar smiled slightly and nodded in appreciation.

"It is good to pursue what one is passionate about, which I can certainly see that you are. Should you achieve this and complete your studies, what are your plans to utilize your diploma?"

"I'd like to use it to start a business, open a factory, maybe a few other things."

The man was quiet for a moment before speaking. "In engineering there are many paths to take, all demand quite a bit of devotion and time. Which branch are you thinking of studying?"

"Manufacturing and Production."

At this, Trafalgar raised an eyebrow. "Both? And at the same time?"

Kid nodded.

His interviewer fell silent again and gave him a considering look.

"That's quite a lot to take on at once. Both are wide branches of study and allow little room for error. You would have to dedicate yourself very seriously to your studies. Passion can take you far but you will still face many challenges that only real dedication will enable you to overcome. Are you up to it?"

Instead of just answering without any thought that yes, of course, he was, Kid was silent for a few seconds.

"Honestly? If you had asked me that less than two years ago, I would have said hell no. But shit happened and things changed. What I thought I wanted changed. I want more than I thought I could have. But I know in order to get what I want I'll have work for it, harder than I've worked for anything in my life. Am I up to it? I'll have to be."

There was a pause before Trafalgar spoke. "Your ambition is admirable. A trait I greatly value. And if I could give you this scholarship, I would."

Kid felt his heart stop. "What? What do you mean?"

"Mr. Eustass, I can tell you are a smart young man, aware of the world and how it works."

"...Your point?"

Trafalgar straightened up in his chair before leaning back more comfortably and intertwined his fingers.

"This scholarship is for those of outstanding academic achievements, as most scholarships are. I can plainly see your worth, that you are ambitious, willing to commit to a goal and obtain it, clever, and level headed. However, characteristics such as these do not carry well onto paper."

The man reached out to the folders that Kid had, for a moment, forgotten. Pulling them closer to himself, Trafalgar flipped one open to a seemingly random page. From this angle Kid couldn't see much, but he had a damn good guess what was on it.

"Throughout your high school career you showed no notable scholastic inclinations. You passed, but barely. Up until a year ago, you displayed not even so much as a fleeting interest in furthering your education. Again, on paper, hardly what one would call a justifiable investment, so to speak."

Kid clenched his fists, focusing his eyes on his hands, watching his nails dig into the flesh of his palms. Speaking through gritted teeth, he said.

"Well, it seems you had everything you needed for your decision. So why the fuck am I here?"

He bit out the last part. But his question was met with only silence, causing Kid to look up. He tensed at what he saw.

Trafalgar was leaning forward on the desk, hands clasped together and his eyes burning straight into Kid's own.

"You are here... Because I have seen something worthwhile, that I am not eager to see go to waste."

There was another moment of silence in which something clicked in Kid's mind..

"Who are you?"

At this, Trafalgar raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Whatever do you mean?"

Kid growled. He wasn't in the mood for the guy's witty bullshit, his nerves had been grated on all day and whatever this guy was pulling, Kid wasn't going to put up with it.

"You're no damn teacher, I don't care how rich this school is, you don't get clothes like that on some teacher's salary. You're too uppercrust to be some faculty member. And I'll  _eat_  that fucking folder if you're the dean. Now,  _who the fuck are you_?!"

The bastard smirked. "You're very perceptive. I am the one providing the funding for this scholarship."

Kid didn't get what was going on, but he knew that if this guy was the one dealing out the cash for this thing then he was loaded... It also made sense why he was here, to an extent.

"Still don't see why the fuck you called me here."

If he really was the one backing the scholarship, then he probably had a say in who got it. Trafalgar had already made things clear about Kid's less than stellar record, so why drag him all the way out here for nothing?

"I wish to make you an offer."

Kid felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He didn't see where exactly this was going but he had a bad feeling about it.

"...What kind of offer?"

"It entails that I pay in full for your education, living expenses, and any other needs in exchange for your companionship. Which would include, but not be limited to, sex."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhangerrrr. :D -dodges the brick this time- Nyanya! -slips on banana peel- TAT
> 
> MWA-HA-HA-HAAAAA! All of you thought this was just going to be your average School!fic didn't you? But homie don't play that! (Those who get the reference are fucking beautiful) Nyahahahaha you will find that in my stories that things are never entirely as they seem. Mai-chan IS my mentor after all. XD
> 
> If you see any typos or mistakes, tell me so I can bludgeon them to death with my laptop. Have a great day! :D


	3. Chapter 3

_'What... the fuck?'_

The only sound Kid could hear was the ticking of some damn clock in the room and his own breathing. He had to repeat what he had heard in his head, more than once, to completely register its meaning.

Kid clenched his fists so tight he heard his knuckles pop and he could feel his shoulders shaking from the building rage.

This couldn't be happening to him. All the work he had put into everything. This is what it amounted to? Being treated like a sex toy by some rich fuck?!

_"WHAT THE FUCK?!"_

Kid didn't remember getting to his feet or throwing himself towards the desk to glare at the man behind it. All he knew was that he was suddenly towering over Trafalgar with his fists slammed against the desk's surface.

"You fucking called me here, made me think I actually had a fucking shot, and you pull this shit?! Is this some fucking  _joke_  to you, you piece of shit?! I didn't work my ass off for this! To be treated like some money grubbing slut by some rich cunt who thinks he can just buy me!"

"You have mistaken my intentions, Eustass-ya. There is no need to be angry."

Kid paused.  _'What the fuck does he mean by 'mistaken his intentions'?'_

"Looks pretty fucking clear to me!"

Trafalgar unexpectedly rose from his seat and began to make his way around the desk.

"Then you are not looking close enough. As I said before, you are a perceptive young man. I ask that you turn that intelligence towards the matter at hand and listen more carefully."

Kid was feeling a bit uncomfortable with the man's slow approach towards him. It made him feel cornered, a feeling he'd never liked.

"Tch. As far as I know you were just saying all that to make things easier."

Kid tensed up when the man was only a few steps away and was thankful when he stopped a decent distance from him.

"It is not my intention to insult nor insinuate anything about your 'lack of character'. Rather, your strength of character is what has led me to make such an offer. All I ask of you, in this moment, is to hear me out."

Trafalgar moved almost languidly to the second chair next to the one Kid had sat in before.

After turning the chair slightly towards Kid, he seated himself.

"I find extended conversation best done in comfortable conditions of equal standing, however you are of course free to do as you wish."

Kid felt more and more alienated by the situation. On the one hand, what this guy was offering seriously pissed him off. But the way the man was handling the whole thing put Kid off, he just wasn't used to people being so damn polite, much less to him. He wasn't entirely sure he was comfortable with it either. Kid really wanted to either punch the man or storm out, but the curiosity about what the hell was going on in the man's head was not making it as easy as it should be.

There was no way in fuck he was going to accept something like this, but he couldn't stop from wondering what the hell made Trafalgar even make the offer in the first damn place.

Kid stood there for a second in silence before he finally decided to at least try and get a glimpse at what this jackass was thinking. Stomping over to his chair and jerking it around to face the man, he all but threw himself into it.

Crossing his arms while still glaring, Kid snapped.

"Talk."

"Thank you. First, would you mind repeating my offer?"

Kid started to get riled up again at the thought of it.

"You wanna make me your fucking boytoy or something and pay me for it."

"Wrong."

Kid scowled and tensed, ready to stand again. "What do you mean 'wrong'?!"

"You weren't listening."

"I heard what you fucking said!"

"But you weren't listening. There is a vast difference between 'hearing' and 'listening'. What I said was, 'that I will pay in full for your education, living expenses, and any other needs in exchange for your companionship. Which would  _include_ , but  _not be limited to_ , sex.' Now. What do you take from that statement?"

He was quiet for a little while before answering, he knew now that the man wasn't looking for what Kid thought to be the obvious answer. So Kid thought about it. Then blinked as he realized what Trafalgar was looking for.

"...You… want something... besides sex?"

"Exactly."

He frowned. "What the hell else could you want from me?"

"'What' indeed." Trafalgar settled further back into his chair while idly tapping his fingertips lightly on the armrests.

"Tell me, Eustass-ya, what do you know about me?" The man asked out of the blue.

Kid shifted a bit at the odd question. "Nothing really. You're my interviewer, you're rich, and you're apparently the one in charge of the scholarship. Not much else."

"Fair enough." Trafalgar conceded. "I am the CEO of one of the world's oldest and most powerful medical companies as well as board member and a primary benefactor of this school, to name but a few of my credentials."

Kid started to feel a bit more anxious.  _'Just how rich is this guy?'_

"Is that supposed to mean something to me? Cause so far I'm not fucking _impressed_."

"You would be one of the few. Another thing that  _does_  impress me." The man chuckled. "But no, my bringing this to light has nothing to do with impressions but with facts."

"And? What about it?" Kid waited impatiently for the man to say more.

"As one with the influence I have, I could help you do much better than the scholarship. The scholarship is only good for two years of education and board at this school. All study supplies and living expenses would have to be paid for out of pocket. It is not much, but it is normally the only way for the less privileged to enter this establishment."

Kid was quiet for a moment. He'd known all that, of course. Knew that even if by some off chance he actually got the scholarship, he would have to pay a shitload of money just to buy the materials needed to study there. Not to mention the cost to commute from his neighborhood, cause like fuck he was staying in some dorm surrounded by pieces of shit with too much of mommy and daddy's money and not enough damn sense.

Kid blinked as he caught one detail of what Trafalgar had said.

"Normally?"

Trafalgar smiled. "You are listening. Good."

Kid rolled his eyes and unfolded his arms. "Just keep going."

His legs were already starting to bounce a little at having to sit still for so long.  _'This guy better not take much longer.'_

Trafalgar tilted his head slightly while looking at Kid, before he blinked and started speaking again.

"As I said,  _normally_  the only way for one to enter, without paying the tuition in full, is via scholarship. However, there is another way, though far more rare and much harder to obtain."

_'This is the first time I've heard of it.'_  Kid thought with a frown.

"I doubt you will have heard of it, as it is not an opportunity one can simply attempt to take advantage of. To be enrolled without a scholarship or the proper finances, one first needs a benefactor of high standing. By 'high standing', I am  _not_  including just anyone of substantial wealth. Their background must be 'of note' to put it delicately, have great influence beyond what money could give, and first and foremost-" Trafalgar paused to ensure he had Kid's attention. "Be a member of the school board."

What the man had said about his 'credentials' not being for impressions suddenly made sense to Kid.

"When I say it is rare, I mean to say that only two students in the last decade have been admitted into this school in this way."

Unconsciously Kid began tapping his heel in thought.  _'So basically it's less like just winning the lottery and more like hitting the fucking jackpot.'_

"What I am offering, Eustass-ya, is even more than that."

He stopped tapping his foot and shot a sharp look at Trafalgar.  _'What the fuck else can he be trying to offer me?!'_

Trafalgar brought his hands together and idly tugged at the hem of one glove.

"What I am offering in detail is that I will pay in full for tuition, classes of your choice, study materials required, living expenses, provide for health care and housing, all free of monetary interest for a time span of five years. After which, a high ranking job position of your choice of occupation will be secured."

For a few moments, nothing but the small sounds of breathing and the ticks of a clock filled the room.

The full impact of what Trafalgar was offering suddenly hit Kid like a avalanche.

_'I'd be set for fucking life...'_ Kid felt a little light headed for a moment. _'But why the fuck would he offer something like this to me?'_

"Why me? Why all this just to get me? There's no way in hell someone like you would be this hard up. You're loaded, obviously got connections, and you're more than easy on the eyes, so I don't get it."

"Thank you."

Kid frowned in confusion. "For what?"

"For your compliment on my appearance. It is appreciated." Trafalgar smiled almost teasingly.

Kid felt his face start to get warm and shifted in discomfort. "Shut up. And you didn't answer my question."

"Very well. As you yourself stated, I am very well off, high in status, and am 'more than easy on the eyes'." Trafalgar paused to smirk at him. Kid scowled, but unfortunately it didn't cover up the fact his face was redder than it should be. "And many tend to... over appreciate this little fact."

Kid snorted.  _'Little fact my ass.'_  He then winced at that unintentionally accurate thought.

Trafalgar continued. "This makes venturing into any sort of long term companionship...  _tenuous_  at best."

Kid could understand that on some levels. Parasites came in all kinds in this world, but they especially tended to multiply when money was involved.

"Still don't see what that has to do with me."

The man watched him thoughtfully for a moment.

"Eustass-ya, tell me what you believe I am making this offer in trade for."

"Sex and, I don't know, someone who won't screw you over I guess?"

"Yes and no."

Kid frowned and decided to wait for him to spit it out.

"I do want someone whose loyalty to me is secured. But I am not looking for a whore. If I merely wished for a toy, any escort service would do. And would be far more cost efficient at that."

Trafalgar made direct eye contact with him and held it.

"Rest assured that, should you accept, you would not under  _any_  circumstances be treated as some common harlot."

Trafalgar rose from his seat and crossed the small distance between them.

Kid tensed at how close the man was to him.

The only thing stopping Kid from standing up to keep Trafalgar from towering over him was how close the two would be. Kid was about to snap at the man about personal space when he did something the redhead hadn't expected.

Trafalgar dropped to one knee and knelt at his feet, placing a hand on Kid's unoccupied armrest to keep himself steady and he leaned closer.

Kid could feel the weight of the man's body against his legs and almost unconsciously tried to pull away when he felt something touch his face. The redhead jolted when he realized it was Trafalgar's hand, or at least his fingertips, resting lightly on his cheek.

When Kid remained frozen in place, Trafalgar seemed to take that as a sign and proceeded to cup the younger man's cheek in the palm of his hand. The redhead waited with more than a little anxiety for the man to try something, but the hand didn't move. It just rested there.

"You, Eustass-ya, are to be my exclusive lover."

Kid sat on the curb and waited until a silver charger came into view. When it stopped in front of him, he stood before leaning over and opening the already unlocked door. Climbing in, he turned to look at Killer, who raised a few fingers from the steering wheel in greeting.

He slammed the car door shut without saying anything.

"How'd it go?"

Keeping quiet for a moment, he thought back to how the interview had ended, with Trafalgar asking him to give his offer some thought and walked Kid to the entrance. He'd been thinking about how to tell Killer what had happened before he'd settled on something.

"They still have a few others to interview, so I won't know for awhile." Basically, lying to him.

The last thing Kid wanted was to cause trouble. He knew Killer would react badly and possibly try and sue Trafalgar, but if the guy was half as connected and rich as Kid thought then nothing good would come of it and could cost Killer his career. It was just his word against Trafalgar's.

Kid knew how it would go.

Killer nodded in understanding. "It's to be expected, don't let it worry you. They must be at least a bit interested to have contacted you."

Kid shifted slightly. "What if it's too much risk?"

Tilting his head slightly, Killer misunderstood the question and spoke. "They'd be fools to disregard such an opportunity."

Fingering the business card in his pocket, Kid nodded. "Yeah... I guess they would."

The smell of roasted garlic filled the room and that of carefully grilled beef wafted through the apartment in a mouthwatering combination.

And one Eustass Kid was cursing up a storm.

"We regret to inform you that we have no vacancies for a man of your talent Mr. Eustass!" Kid proclaimed in a sickly sweet, obviously mocking voice.

He proceeded to mash the cooked and skinned whole potatoes in the large cooking bowl while continuing his rant.

"Our establishment expresses our sincerest apologies that we are unable to accept your application Mr. Eustass!" He deepened his tone and evened out his accent in a mock authoritative voice.

Once he'd finally mashed the potatoes into mush, he viciously threw some seasonings into the bowl and stirred in some melted butter before shoving the bowl into the microwave, slamming the door shut to heat up the contents.

"Why the fuck not?! What the fuck's wrong with  _ME?!_  If anything, they should be fucking grateful that I even  _thought_  about applying to their shitty fucking schools!"

How could he be rejected by another three schools? And these three specifically having just been picked as an afterthought because of their exceedingly low requirements and standards. Killer had even said to just forget them but Kid had went ahead anyway as he wanted to apply to as many as he could in case he didn't get accepted into any of the schools he wanted.

_'Not that it matters anymore.'_  At that thought, Kid felt his temper spike again. With a lack of anything or anyone to beat to a pulp at hand, and not in the mood to work on one of the things on his always growing list of to-do's, he decided to work on something else that he usually did in stressful circumstances.

He cooked.

Being able to use his hands, control and create whatever he wanted, and have it appreciated by others when finished, was very therapeutic.

With that in mind, he went to the fridge and dug out the pork loin he'd gotten the other day. One of the store owners had gotten it as a late birthday gift for him. He had decided to slice it up, season it, and throw it in the crockpot to slowly cook for the next twenty-four hours.

_'Why the fuck wouldn't they accept me?! My grades and test scores are way above some shitty school like theirs! They should be falling over themselves with fucking offers!'_

He viciously sliced the pork with a finely sharpened butcher knife, feeling vindicated with each cut and incision he made, occasionally switching the blade to rub a mix of prepared seasonings into the meat.

"After everything I've fucking done to get a better life for this shit?!  _Fuck!_ " The last exclamation was made in reaction to the now bleeding gash along his left thumb, just above the knuckle.

Being so pissed off had made him lose focus on his task and he had stupidly left his thumb in the path of the blade. Now there was a deep cut from a knife he'd just been using to mutilate the raw meat.

_'Fucking perfect.'_

Kid sat there, scowling as he watched Wire finish the stitching. He had thought the other man was going to hit him with the cell phone he still clutched in his hand when Kid had answered the door after calling Wire over.

Wire had spent the last half hour sterilizing, numbing, and stitching shut the gash in his thumb.

Watching the needle push through the skin to repeat the same pattern on the other side in order to pull the parted pieces of flesh back together was both interesting and boring at the same time.

The morbidity of it always fascinated Kid, but the time it took always left him wanting to yawn. Some doctors in the past had found this reaction extremely off-putting for some reason.

"There. Don't move it too much for the next couple of days and come to me in a day or so to have it cleaned again. I'll remove the stitches in a week and a half." Wire's voice rumbled gruffly.

"Got it." This wasn't by far the first time he'd gotten hurt in some way, so he knew the routine. And as much as Kid wanted to say he could take care of it himself until he needed the stitches removed, he really didn't want Wire to retaliate by doing something drastic.

Like, say, cuffing Kid to his own bed and sedating him until the stitches were ready to come out.

Kid couldn't say it would be the first time.

After packing up his kit, Wire stood and turned to look at the meat Kid had been preparing.

Kid saw where the dark haired man was looking and spoke. "I finished it anyway, just need to cut up some potatoes and stuff, throw it into some beef stock, and toss it all into the crock."

Wire nodded. "I can handle that."

He sighed, knowing it was useless to argue with the man. "Fine."

They got things going and, when Wire had set the timer and temperature for the crock, Kid started to heat up some of the things he'd already made for the other man to take with him.

The potatoes had to be stirred once again before reheating and the rest was put onto separate plates to be microwaved as well. They then loaded the dishes, along with silverware, onto a large tray to be carried more easily.

At the door, Wire turned and looked at Kid. "I don't know what had you so riled, but I do know you'll figure things out. You always do. But if you need to talk, or just vent, you know where to find us."

Kid nodded in thanks and watched Wire leave, ducking his head to avoid running into the door's frame.

He sighed after hearing the older man's fading footsteps and went back to the kitchen to put up a few last seasonings and throw some used utensils into the sink to be washed tomorrow.

Once he'd finished wiping down the counters, Kid leaned against them for a moment to relax. He made the mistake of looking over to the table and felt his blood boil again.

Three envelopes were just laying there innocently, like they hadn't just delivered potentially crushing blows to his future.

He stomped over to the worthless pieces of paper, snatched them up and began a very satisfying session of ripping them to tiny pieces. Cursing the letters, the people who sent them, and the whole world that seemed to be against him.

_'Why is this happening?'_  He thought almost brokenly.

Having taken out his remaining anger on the letters, Kid just felt tired.

Throwing the shredded bits of paper into the trash when he passed it, he walked wearily to his room, just wanting to go to sleep and not have to think about anything.

About how his life was going nowhere.

He practically threw himself onto the bed, letting his legs just hang off it. Kid hadn't been wearing a shirt or shoes, and he'd only slipped on some sweatpants this morning, so he didn't have to change.

Kid just laid there, face buried in the covers and contemplated just staying like that. But he knew he'd end up with a messed up back if he did.

Sighing, he raised his head up and crawled fully onto and up the bed to lie properly with his head on the pillows. He thought about putting a tie or some clips in his hair to prevent it from tangling the next day but decided to say fuck it.

Laying on his back, Kid closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. After what was most likely only a few minutes, he opened them again to stare at the ceiling.

_'Should probably dust tomorrow.'_  He thought halfheartedly.

Kid turned his head to look at the rest of his room.

He'd lived here for years, so there was a fair amount of clutter. Piles of scrap metal he'd gathered for various reasons. Tools here and there. A table covered in everything from tools to small pieces of metal, and from books to fabrics. He frowned and reminded himself to organize and straighten things up tomorrow.

Sighing again, Kid turned over onto his side to look at the other side of his room. Pretty much the same; tools, books, knickknacks, and the small table placed next to his bed as a night stand.

He stared at the lamp.  _'I really do need to dust.'_

With all the studying he'd been doing, he hadn't had the time.

_'Looks like that won't be a problem anymore.'_

He tiredly dropped his gaze and tried to close his eyes to sleep when he saw a white shape lying on the surface of the small table.

It was a business card.

Trafalgar's card.

He remembered the dark haired man giving it to him before Kid left, asking him to call when he'd reached a decision. Kid had taken it just to get the man off his back. He'd meant to throw it away as soon as he got home but...

He hadn't.

It'd been over a week since then.

Kid reached for the card and held it above his face to stare at it.

On one side was some weird smiley face that looked like it'd been crossed with a sign for a virus. Underneath that there was a number to reach a receptionist or something. He ignored it and turned the card over, revealing a scrawled cell phone number that Trafalgar had written.

He shut his eyes for a long moment.

Kid had worked hard. Done everything he could to not only achieve a better life, but to make everyone proud of him. To show them that they could not only try for something better but actually get there.

If Kid failed, he wouldn't just lose his chance, he'd fail everyone else too. They'd believe that the lot they'd been dealt in life was the only thing left to them. That they had to make do, that things would never get better than how they were. That they had nothing to look forward to.

He couldn't let that happen.

Even if it cost him his dignity.

Kid reached for his phone on the nightstand and dialed.

It rang a few times before it was answered by a deep smooth voice.

"...It's me." Kid waited for a moment but was met by silence.

_'Wait, what if he doesn't recognize my voice?'_  He tried again. "Uhm Eustass Kid?"

Trafalgar finally spoke. "I know, I am just happy to hear from you."

_'Well, at least he isn't being smug.'_  Kid thought.

"Have you reached a decision?"

His throat suddenly felt thick, so he cleared it before answering.

"Yes... Yes, I have."


	4. Chapter 4

-Coughs- Here we go! :D -reaches for remote- ...where the fu -digs- -tunnels into couch-

Mai? Please? -continues rummaging only to be grabbed by carnivorous plot bunnies disguised as dust bunnies and dragged in screaming-

_-takes the remote from the table and throws it at Luna- The wait has been a month xDD_

Shhhhhhh

-accidentally hits remote with flailing foot-

-scene fades out-

* * *

 

The sun was out and people were on the street, going to various places for different reasons, but most of them looked like businessmen in a hurry to grab lunch before going back to the grind. The area was full of tall buildings; a couple of high class restaurants, a few independent businesses, some designer clothing stores, and a handful of high rise apartments could be seen at a first glance.

Basically, not a damn thing he could afford.

Kid looked away from the bus window when the vehicle finally stopped, standing up and moving to the front to get off.

Once he'd stepped off into the street, he glanced around in search of the place he was looking for, stopping when his sight finally fell on the sign bearing the name he'd been given.

Crossing the street, the redhead frowned when he focused on the building attached to the sign.

It was obviously a place for the upper crust and he would probably have to hock a kidney just to get a glass of water.

Peering into the windows, he noticed that all the diners he could see were wearing suits and expensive looking dresses. He looked down at himself, feeling even more out of place. He was wearing the same black jeans he had to his interview, but had put on a black button up with a red collar and cuffs. His boots were a reddish brown and had seen better days, but at least he'd shined them.

Taking another glance at the patrons inside, he could see that a few were eying him curiously, probably wondering the same thing as he was. What the hell he was doing in place like this.

_'Maybe this was a mistake... Maybe I should just go.'_  He thought.

"Ah! Mr. Eustass!"

Kid's head snapped around to see who the hell was calling him.

* * *

 

_'Finally!'_

As the manager of such a fine dining establishment, Nezumi prided himself on attending to every need of the many notable patrons who graced the restaurant with their money and presence.

He had been overjoyed to hear that the CEO of Heart Industries and Pharmaceuticals had notified the owner that he would be dining there for lunch today and would be reserving the VIP section for himself and a guest.

All of it.

Nezumi had practically salivated as the beli signs plastered themselves in front of his mind's eye.

He had thought things would be easy. Mr. Trafalgar was not known as a complicated man and had dined with them before.

He had not been expecting to be summoned by the man and given perhaps the most bizarre instructions he'd ever received.

And Nezumi had received many in his years of management.

But this...

_'Why on earth would a blueblood like himself be associating with someone so far beneath him?'_

But his instructions had been very... clear.

He shivered at the memory.

_Nezumi had made a beeline for the owner's office as soon as he heard that Mr. Trafalgar had arrived and had been well received. The man having been greeted by the owner himself, his boss had stopped in personally just to ensure everything went smoothly._

_They had moved to the owner's office for a short exchange of pleasantries and Nezumi was to escort Mr. Trafalgar to the VIP room and attend to any whim the CEO could possibly have._

_On the way to the upper floor, after bidding farewell to the owner and stepping into the elevator, the stoic man had finally spoken to him._

_"Mr. Nezumi, correct?"_

_Said man immediately snapped to attention. "Yes, Sir! What can I do for you?"_

_"It is concerning my guest."_

_Nezumi looked interestedly at the man. He had wondered when the other would be arriving, as the business tycoon had arrived alone._

_"Yes, Sir?"_

_The man finally looked at him and Nezumi almost felt his blood freeze._

_"My guest will be arriving shortly via more common means. This is a picture of him."_

_The man withdrew a snapshot photo from his blazer's inner pocket and held it out for the manager to see for a few moments before placing it back in its place._

_Nezumi was shocked, but tried to keep the look off his face._

'Why on earth would a CEO be having lunch in a five star restaurant with some- some punk?!' _The very_ thought _was obscene._

_The man had seen escorts that blended in better than the boy would._

_Suddenly, the reason why the executive wanted the entire section to himself made sense. He could only imagine what being seen with such poor company could do to the CEO's image._

_He snapped out of it when he heard the man speak once more._

_"His name is Mr. Eustass. You will wait for him at the entrance, greet him when you see him, and escort him directly to me."_

_"Th-the entrance, Sir?" Nezumi almost flinched. He never questioned a patron once a request was made, if he did it was only to ask for more instructions on how they would like the task completed._

_Escorting this '_ guest _' through the entrance would completely defeat the purpose of him remaining unseen by fellow patrons._

_"If I may, we have a back entrance as well if-"_

_"I do not believe I asked for such useless information."_

_Nezumi shivered at the suddenly ice cold tone, where before it had been tolerant and commanding it was now utterly frigid._

_"You will greet him as you would myself and you will speak to him as you would myself. He will be treated with the utmost hospitality that I have come to expect from this establishment. If not, then perhaps I have overestimated the professionalism of the staff and it is time to make a change in venue."_

_"NO! I mean, that won't be necessary, sir." He tried to keep the quiver from his voice._

_The rat like man had almost had a seizure. If his boss ever even thought that a patron of such high standing as Mr. Trafalgar had reason for complaint, much less the need to find a new restaurant to extend his patronage to, then Nezumi would be lucky to get a job as a roadside diner's dishwasher._

_"Please, pardon my manners,_ of course _your young guest shall be treated with the utmost deference and shown every courtesy, rest assured."_

_"See to it."_

_The elevator chimed as they arrived to their floor._

Nezumi shivered again at the frightening memory. Mr. Trafalgar was  _not_  a man to cross. He was a man to be obeyed, which Nezumi fully intended on doing to the fullest extent.

The ratty man didn't want to think about the consequences of if he didn't.

* * *

 

Kid had been slightly startled to see the mousy man in an expensive suit eagerly waving to him. The guy looked suspicious, but Kid had approached him all the same.

"Mr. Eustass! I am so pleased you could make it here to our humble establishment." The slick looking man bowed deeply. "Your party is waiting and I would be more than happy to guide you to him."

Kid weighed the offer for a moment. He didn't like how the man wouldn't look directly at him and seemed to speak mostly to the ground, glancing discreetly around in what looked suspiciously like a nervous gesture.

And Kid had a good idea as to why.

_'Fuck it.'_  He started walking towards the door despite his nerves.  _'At least this way I won't get lost.'_

Fuck, that would be embarrassing.

"Well, you coming or not?"

"Ah! Yes, of course, allow m-"

The ratty man made a strangled sound when Kid opened the door himself and walked inside on his own.

He waited for the oily creep to get his act together and studiously refused to acknowledge the whispers rising as soon as people started to notice him.

"My apologies, Sir! I seem to be having an off day!" Kid ignored the man's pandering and just asked where they were going.

"A man of focus who cuts to the chase, very good, Sir. You will be dining with Mr. Trafalgar in the VIP section. If you would just follow me, Sir."

He followed the rat, not having gotten the man's name and not caring enough to ask, to an elevator. The redhead frowned when he heard the whispers increase from the peanut gallery.

He had to restrain himself from either glaring at them or giving them something to really look at, as he was trying hard to behave 'properly'. He really didn't need Trafalgar changing his mind cause Kid lost his cool and caused a scene.

And now, having gotten a better look at what everyone was wearing, Kid felt even more out of place. Hell, even the waiters were dressed all fancy and shit.

He was happy once they reached the inside of the elevator and the doors closed.

Until the rat started running his mouth again.

"If I may, Sir, my name is Nezumi and I am the humble manager of this fine dining establishment. Please allow me to thank you for your patronage; it is good to see those as young as yourself with such refined tastes."

Kid tuned the rat out for the rest of the ride up. He didn't like it when people were this polite to him, as he didn't know what to do, how to react. But he  _hated_  when people were 'nice' to him only to get something out of him. He didn't know what the ratty bastard wanted from him, but it was obvious from the other's sickening attempts to suck up to him that the rat was after something. Though he didn't need to be a genius to see that it was a sure bet that it had something to do with Trafalgar.

Kid watched the lights above the door light up slowly as they went up, passing a few floors before stopping on the fifth and final floor.

He swallowed the sudden nervous lump he felt in his throat. He wasn't sure about how he should act around Trafalgar anymore.

Before the interview, Kid had known to be as polite as possible, to watch his temper, and try to be as 'normal' as he could. But when Trafalgar had made his offer, the redhead had thrown all that to the wind and shown quite a bit of his actual self. The older man didn't seem to be adverse to it and it would seem weird to try and go back to acting like a calm and mild-mannered student. But if he was really going to do this, Kid also couldn't risk speaking his mind too much in case Trafalgar decided to take back his offer and try to find someone else who was less troublesome and argumentative.

The redhead finally decided to play it by ear and try to keep things in moderation until he could fully understand what it was the older man wanted from him.

The doors finally opened and it was time for him to face the man who would most likely be a permanent fixture in his life for the next five years.

Law watched as the doors opened to reveal the one he had been waiting for.

He observed as the redhead's sights landed on Law before panning out to the room, absorbing every detail with those interesting eyes of his.

"Welcome, Eustass-ya, I am glad you could make it."

The redhead eyed him for a moment and, though the younger man tried to hide it, Law could see the slight nervousness in his posture. After a moment, Kid nodded and walked further into the room, taking things in. Law had to keep from smiling too widely when his guest zeroed in on the large windows that encased the entire room, providing a spectacular view, and moved for a closer look.

He had picked this location for exactly that reason, recalling Kid's fascination with the view from the school's offices.

A small movement out of the corner of his eye reminded him of the other presence in the room.

"Well done, Mr. Nezumi, you may take your leave. We are not to be disturbed and no one is to enter until called."

Not waiting for a response, Law turned on his heel and strolled over to where his guest was gazing out the floor to ceiling windows.

Law stopped just a ways from the redhead, he observed him staring out into the city view with his fingertips lightly touching the window.

"Do you like it?" He inquired softly.

The young man jolted as if suddenly remembering he was not alone.

"Uh, yes. Yes I do."

Law smiled. "I am glad. I chose this location because I thought you might like it."

Kid looked at his feet, decidedly nervous. "So, when will others get here? It's kinda weird we're the only ones here so far."

Law blinked for a moment before understanding dawned. "Ah, there will be no others. I've rented this floor for the day."

The redhead looked shocked. "You paid for this entire room?"

"Yes. I did not want us to be disturbed and wished us to be able to speak freely." He decided not to add he wanted the other to feel comfortable with their surroundings.

Having prying eyes attempting to decipher their private business in hopes of obtaining leverage over him or simply for the sake of gossip would, without a doubt, make his soon-to-be lover very uncomfortable.

And Law would much rather have the other's attention solely on himself.

"Bu-but that's-"

"Nothing compared to what I am willing to do to ensure your comfort."

Kid seemed somewhat mollified by that answer and, dare he say, flattered.

Law steadily closed the space between them, leaving just enough of a comfortable distance so as not to cause his guest undue stress. "Our current surroundings aside, I must say that I am very happy to see you and to hear that you have truly considered my offer. I will endeavor to show you that your choice has been well made."

The redhead nodded, though he did not meet his eyes. Law almost frowned. While the younger man reported to have made his choice, his behavior clearly said that he was still having anxiety and possible second thoughts over the decision. Law would have to be cautious, it would be frustrating if his would-be charge bolted from a misunderstanding of Law's intentions for their deal.

Movement caught Law's attention, a hand going up to comb through red hair, which Law noticed with pleasure that it was not as tamed as it had been at their prior meeting, the almost bloody locks falling around the other's face and brushing his shoulders, sunlight flowing through the strands to give it an almost glowing appearance.

Law had the sudden desire to see it fanned out over one of the pillows on his bed as the other slept.

Or perhaps during other more  _straining_  activities, and wondered how it would feel wrapped around his hand.

He was torn from his musing, however, when he noted something about the hand currently smoothing itself through the hair Law had been contemplating.

A bandage.

Feeling his professionalism taking over, as well as concern for his guest, he spoke. "Your hand."

Eustass looked at him in confusion before understanding crossed his sculpted features. He lowered the appendage in question for his own inspection.

"May I have a look?"

A suspicious look entered the red-haired man's eyes, and he moved his hand only to clutch it closer to himself. "Why?"

Law refrained from rolling his eyes at the other's distrustful nature. Though he supposed it might be an ingrained reaction, and Law may not know much about the younger man's personal life, he knew enough to understand it had not been an easy one.

Either way, he believed it best to make his intentions clear. "I am a doctor and, as stated in my offer, your well-being is now a primary concern of mine."

The redhead only frowned more. "Thought you said you were a business man..."

Law supposed he should commend the other for his memory and clever nature. "I am both. Now, may I?"

He had not lowered his extended hand during their exchange.

For a moment, Law believed the other would ask more questions. Instead, Kid slowly laid his hand in Law's own.

Seeing it as the show of trust it was, he gently cupped the hand in his before using the other to carefully undo the admittedly well done bandage around the younger man's left hand's thumb.

Law brought the injury closer to his face, already satisfied with its state of cleanliness, to better inspect the stitching of the small, but deep, wound.

Careful to keep his own unsterilized fingers from touching the injury itself, he gingerly prodded at the surrounding skin to ascertain the strength of the stitches, nodding in satisfaction when they held tight.

As he put the bandage back in place, firmly and quickly as he had a thousand times before, he questioned. "Did you do this?"

Kid shook his head. "No, a friend."

Law raised a brow at the younger man's disinterest in further elaborating. "Your friend's work is very good, better than some 'professionals' I could name."

He felt an uplifting sensation when the redhead quirked a smile. "He'll be happy to hear that."

Before the younger man could react, Law raised the hand to his mouth and pressed a chaste kiss to the now fully covered wound, releasing the hand and drawing away just as quickly.

Without waiting to see the other's reaction, he turned and gestured to a set table just a ways from them.

"Shall we?"

Kid stepped up beside him and spoke somewhat thickly. "Before, um, before we do this, I want you to know that I have questions I want answered before I really agree to anything."

Law looked at his guest and nodded. "Of course, it is only natural you would have questions. It is entirely reasonable and I shall do the very best I can to answer your questions to your satisfaction. I also hope to show you that I am sincere. But first…"

He once again motioned to their table, closest to the windows of course. Normally, he didn't care where he sat during meals, but Law had decided to pick that particular table with Kid in mind.

"We will discuss the finer details of our future relationship to your satisfaction, of course. But perhaps first, over lunch, we can get to know one another, and maybe come to a better understanding of what we want?"

The other man looked like he wanted to say something but finally nodded and stepped forward.

* * *

 

Thank you '[Tangerine_25](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Tangerine_25/pseuds/Tangerine_25)' for your comment! :D -bows-


	5. Chapter 5

"Hello everyone! :D Bet you're surprised to see  _me_! Much sooner than the last update!" Does inner happy dance.

"You're all going to love this chapter. And you're all going to want to kill meeee.~ But you'll want to hug me tooo.~"

"But anyway! On with the show!" Presses a big red button to start the show.

"...Eh?" Jabs button a few more times. "Maaaaiiii! It won't work!" TAT

_Mai picks up cable from ground and plugs it in. "Try now."_

"Yay!" Presses button and a bucket of melted chocolate is dumped.

"...Ah, wrong button." Licks at chocolate a little and take another button out, this one blue. "See ya at the end!" Presses button and licks more chocolate and the lights go out.

* * *

Kid felt almost dizzy with all the thoughts buzzing around in his head.

Questions, like why the other would spend so much money on renting out a whole floor at some five star restaurant, raced through his mind. Frazzled thoughts about the kiss he could still feel burning on his hand, and he wondered why the other was still being polite despite the fact the man had to know he had Kid right where he wanted.

Kid had to keep from stumbling when he felt a hand pressed gently to his lower back as they walked to the fancy table. Hell, even the napkins looked expensive.

After they had both seated themselves, Trafalgar spoke. "Shall we order?"

"Um, yeah." The redhead picked up his menu and flicked it open.

He scanned the menu, then blinked and read through it again more carefully.

_'Where the fuck are the prices on this thing?'_

"I hope that your welcoming was acceptable. I would have greeted you myself, but I received a call and also wanted to make sure things were prepared for your arrival."

Kid frowned before shrugging. "It's no problem, though it felt a bit weird having someone falling all over themselves to just say hello and show me where I'm supposed to go." He thought about mentioning how nervous the rat like man had been, but decided it didn't matter.

Trafalgar was quiet for a moment before chuckling. "I'm afraid that you will become more familiar with that sort of agonizing occurrence in the future."

He cracked a small smile at the older man's humor. "Sounds horrifying."

"Oh, absolutely terrifying, I assure you." Trafalgar smirked.

The redhead felt a little more at ease at the other man's light hearted conversation.

"So, do you know what you're getting?" He asked.

Trafalgar hummed quietly before replying. "I am in the mood for something light and simple, so I believe I will be having the vegetable rice dish and a salad. And yourself?"

He looked at the menu again, frowning as he debated over something. "Um... I... think I'll get the same." He spoke somewhat hesitantly, despite looking at a different corner of the menu.

Trafalgar tilted his head at the other's answer. "Eustass-ya, I don't mean to be rude, or make any unfounded assumptions, but you do not strike me as one who would prefer more vegetarian meals."

"Uh... Well, it doesn't hurt to try new things."

The other man did not seem convinced. "Eustass-ya, if this is an issue concerning cost, please do not trouble yourself. If you were inclined, you could order every single item on this menu, ten times over, and it would not cause me any sort of trouble. Please order what you would like, I insist."

"I can pay for my own food." He protested.  _'Even though a glass of water here will probably bankrupt me...'_

"Eustass-ya, the point of our coming arrangement is that you will never have to worry about anything concerning finances whatsoever. That includes dining in or out. Plus, it would be very rude of me to chose the venue and then expect you to pay, deal or no."

Kid felt a bit more relaxed, and though he still wanted to tell the other man that it was fine, well... he really did hate salad.

"...I was thinking about the steak tenderloin and lobster tails."

Trafalgar smiled. "A wonderful choice, I'm fond of their beef myself. Though I prefer their crab, personally, it's a textural preference."

Kid smiled slightly. "I'll get that then. I've just never had it before, is it really good?"

The older man nodded. "Best dipped in melted butter. They make it so soft that it falls apart in your mouth. Delicious."

"Sounds good."

Trafalgar smiled. "So, are we ready?"

"Um sure, but I don't see..." He trailed off as he watched the dark haired man reach for a crystal fixture in the middle of the table.

Once tapped, the fixture lit up and, after a moment, turned back off.

"What-?" He was interrupted by the sound of a door opening and he turned to see a waiter walking quickly towards them.

The waiter bowed at the waist once he reached their table. "What can I do for you, sirs?"

"We have decided on our orders, I will be having the vegetarian rice dish, as well as a marinated and grilled salad, no dressing." Trafalgar's words were short and clipped, but not rude to their server.

The waiter nodded, instantly memorizing the order, then turned to him. "And yours, sir?"

"Um, I think I'm getting the steak tenderloin and the- crab?" He glanced at his fellow dining guest. "Yeah, the crab."

"And how would you like your steak cooked?"

"Medium rare is fine." The redhead replied.

The waiter nodded. "Very good choices, sirs. And what would you like to drink?"

Trafalgar spoke. "A dinner wine for myself, whatever the chef recommends, though a white preferably."

"Very good, sir, we just had a lovely vintage brought in this morning. And you, sir?"

"Um..." He glanced at the drinks menu and frowned. Most of them were alcoholic, not something that he really wanted right now. The redhead needed a sharp mind today. "I think water will be fine."

"Very well, sir." He collected the menus and stepped back before bowing once more. "I will have your drinks brought out in just a moment, would you like any appetizers while you wait for your meals?" When both men shook their heads, he nodded. "I hope you enjoy your time in our restaurant, your food will arrival shortly."

When the waiter had left, Kid decided to finally direct the conversation towards the real reason why they were there.

"So... About the deal..."

Trafalgar focused his attention on him. "I assume you would like to ask some questions now. I assure you that you may ask whatever you like, I want you to feel comfortable, and have a complete understanding of everything."

The door opened again and a different server came in, a waitress, and sat their drinks in front of them, leaving a bottle in an ice bucket next to Trafalgar's glass. She bowed once and left.

"First, before I ask any questions, I want you to know I'm not doing  _anything_  until I  _know_  I'm in." Kid said firmly.

The older man nodded. "Perfectly reasonable. I admit I would have been somewhat disappointed had you asked me to agree to anything less."

He didn't know how to take that, so he continued.

"I also want you to know I'm not doing any  _weird_  shit." He tried to ignore how hot his face felt.

All Trafalgar did was smirk in amusement. "And may I ask what qualifies as  _weird shit_?"

Kid couldn't meet his eyes and busied himself with his drink, his ears burning at the other's odd usage of foul language. "Ya know... Anything  _weird_..."

The man chuckled. "Eustass-ya, I hope that you know that you will always have final say over your body. I am not a rapist, if you say no, then that means no. I will not force myself on you." He smirked again. "Unless you ask me to yourself, of course."

The redhead choked on his water.

Honest laughter flowed from his future lover. "And I cannot say that I will not endeavor to convince you of the merits of any sort of 'activities'."

Trafalgar finally looked at him seriously. "But you have my word that I will never lay a hand on you without your consent. This is a consensual relationship, not slavery."

Kid had finally calmed down enough to nod in satisfaction, understanding that was the best he could ask for in terms of an agreement.

"And... Academic wise? I know you said you'd pay for my classes, but that's not all there is to courses and degree requirements..." He prodded.

Trafalgar nodded in understanding. "True. I will, of course, pay for the classes themselves and whatever you wish to choose, required for your degree or not. Clubs, if you should decide to join one, books and other required materials, uniforms, and so on." He took a slow sip of wine. "In short, I will be paying for whatever you like." The older stated simply.

Kid felt the need to ask again why the other was willing to spend so much just for  _him_. Yeah, he understood that Trafalgar wanted someone he could trust not to stab him in the back who he had leverage over, but really, there  _had_  to be other ways that would cost less and maybe be an even more secure investment.

He just didn't get it.

The redhead mentally sighed and shook the thought from his head.

"And what happens if I get hurt or something? Like a car accident. And I can't, uh..." He stared at his glass of water, trying very hard not to show his awkwardness. "Keep my end of the deal? At least for a while."

Trafalgar opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the light blinking at the middle of the table, signaling their food was arriving. The door opened and two different servers, brought in a cart with dishes piled on it.

The cart was pulled up to the table and plates, bowls, and utensils were placed before them.

Kid stared, stupefied by the amount of silverware that had been placed before him, and a glance towards Trafalgar's end showed the same, though some where different.

The confusion was dismissed immediately, however, when a beautifully cooked steak the size of a small skillet was placed before him, alongside a second plate of shelled crab, and a bowl of melted butter next to it. Kid did his best to stop from drooling like a starving man over the excellent cut of prime beef and the wonderful smell of the boiled crab.

As quickly as they'd come, the servers left.

"This looks amazing." He smiled.

Trafalgar blinked before returning the smile. "I'm happy you like it. I have been frequenting this restaurant for a while now, and have found their staff to exceed all expectations. Most especially their waiting and kitchen staff." He then speared some of his salad with a, to Kid at least, overly fancy fork.

Kid watched fixedly as the man brought the leafy greens, that smelled amazing even to him, to his lips. He felt himself swallow as the other chewed and swallowed, then licked his lips. The redhead suddenly felt a bit warm, a warmth that spiked when the other caught him staring and smiled almost sweetly.

He quickly cleared his throat and returned to the previous subject. "So, will there be health care of any kind included?"

Trafalgar took his time answering, taking another sip of wine, and drew the redhead's attention again by gently lapping at the rim of the glass with the tip of his tongue.

"Should you be injured, you will be cared for, rest assured. Due both to my name and my own career, the best medical care will be available to you at all times. You will be completely insured as well. Health insurance, car insurance, home owner's insurance, everything." He smiled teasingly. "Should you even chip a tooth, dental insurance will cover it."

Kid chuckled a little at the other's attempt at humor.

Despite Trafalgar's charm and all the benefits and prospects, he  _hated_  the idea of this. But he knew that this was the best way, really the  _only_  way, to achieve his dreams.

So he might as well take advantage.

"And... my commute? Come to think of it, I don't even know where you live. Or where your primary office is." He knew he was fishing for information and hoped the other man didn't mind.

Trafalgar nodded. "I will be having a debit card made available to you, it will connect directly to a bank account adjacent to my own. I will weekly siphon funds into it that you may use as you see fit, for personal shopping, commutation, and for anything you wish. However, you will have access to the cars and drivers I employ, you can simply call and someone will come to take you wherever you wish to go."

The dark haired man had finished his salad and was now moving on to his rice, prompting Kid to cut into his steak. Picking a knife and fork at random, he took a bite and almost moaned at the wonderful texture and equally amazing taste.

After working halfway through the steak, he decided to try the crab. Kid dipped it in some of the warm butter and brought it to his mouth, this time he did let out a little groan at the  _fucking amazing_  taste.

The meat practically melted in his mouth and the seasonings were light, emphasizing without masking the flavor of the crab itself, the buttery mixture just the cherry on top.

Before he knew it he had finished the plate of crab in a few short minutes, and he licked his lips happily.

Kid took a sip of his water and looked up to tell Trafalgar how right he was about his suggestion. The redhead froze, however, when he was faced with the other staring intensely at him.

Kid suddenly felt like  _he_  was the food, as Trafalgar was staring at him over the rim of his wineglass like the redhead had at his steak.

He busied his hands with his own glass and sipped at his water in between small bites of steak, trying to cool down the heat in his face with the cold liquid, but it didn't feel like it was working.

"Well." Kid looked up at the sound of Trafalgar's voice, it being slightly lower than he remembered. "I hope I have answered any questions you have at present, but before we leave, perhaps you would like to try some of their desserts? They make all of their sweets from scratch, I'm rather fond of their ice cream truffles and chocolate mocha mousse. Also..."

Trafalgar sat down his wineglass next to his empty plate and leaned back into his seat, thumbing a button on his shirt. He had worn a white button up and suit, but forgone a tie. "I wish to make clear a... stipulation of my own."

Kid tensed slightly at the serious tone in Trafalgar's voice, but he couldn't be surprised, of course there would be some strings attached. It wasn't like only Kid would have questions.

"Okay." He said cautiously, it was only fair to hear the other man out after the patience he had shown for Kid's own demands and inquiries.

Trafalgar nodded and leaned forward to tap the light fixture once more. The first waiter that had appeared in the beginning came directly to their table, followed by the two that had brought them their food. "Was everything to your satisfaction, sirs?"

The businessman nodded and shifted his glass out of the way as the two others took his dishes. "Everything was excellent as always, this visit was perhaps even more enjoyable than usual." Kid blinked at the smile directed to him. He whispered a thank you to a surprised waitress as she removed his dishes, who blushed lightly and nodded before withdrawing quickly.

"We would like to order dessert, actually."

"Of course, sir, I have two menus here." The server placed two smaller menus in front of them both. "Would you like some time?"

Trafalgar hummed as he glanced at the menu before directing his gaze at Kid. "Would you mind it if I order for us both? There is something I would love for you to try."

Kid shrugged. "Sure." After having browsed through half of the items on the menu, most were things he'd never even heard of anyway.

The older man nodded before turning his attention back to the waiter. "One of your sampler platters, milk chocolate as the primary flavor, soufflé as the main dish. Replace fruits with extras."

"A lovely choice, sir. I shall return shortly."

Trafalgar nodded as the waiter and the two servers carrying the dishes left.

The room was quiet for a few moments before the doctor spoke. "Are you currently seeing anyone, Eustass-ya?"

Kid stared, slightly confused with the odd question. "Uh no, no I'm not."

Trafalgar nodded in satisfaction. "Good, this will be much easier then."

"What will be e-" He was interrupted by the door opening once more, their primary waiter carrying in a large platter.

The desserts were set in between them delicately and Kid stared at the wide array of sweets. There were truffles and tiny decorative shotglasses of mousse. In the middle was a chocolate individual soufflé surrounded by bite sized chocolate eclairs and some type of layered baked thing that looked rather good. Long swirls of chocolate sauce twirled in pretty patterns all across the plate in an artistic finish.

It looked like chocolate heaven.

The waiter bowed and silently left the room.

Conversation completely forgotten, Kid grabbed a clean fork and almost gently sunk the utensil into a soft chocolate truffle. He popped the sweet into his mouth and he thought he might have died.

The incredible sweetness and flavor was indescribable, he thought he might have moaned a little as he popped another one in his mouth. This one having a caramel center, and the next, a vanilla cream mix inside.

He didn't notice Trafalgar watching him intently as he devoured the decadent treats, otherwise he would have felt rather uncomfortable under the predatory gaze.

Kid licked his lips clean of any traces of mousse, and eyed the pastry like things. He'd been working his way inward as he demolished quite a bit of the plate. "What are those?" He gestured to the mystery pastries.

Trafalgar smiled indulgently. "That," He plucked one up and held it between his gloved fingers. "Is baklava. A very delicious treat, somewhat difficult to make from scratch I'm told, but has a wonderful taste and texture."

The older man almost delicately brought the sweet to his lips, tongue darting out to taste as he took a slow bite, humming at the richness.

Kid watched raptly as the tongue appeared again to swipe at the doctor's lips. He swallowed slightly when the other stared into his eyes as he licked away the traces of baklava from his outer mouth.

"You should try some."

The redhead nodded maybe a little too quickly as he took a piece for himself and tasted it. "It's good."

Trafalgar smiled, then reached for a knife and fork. He cut into the soufflé and brought a good sized portion closer to himself, before taking small bites.

"I... am a possessive man by nature." Kid looked up to pay attention to the older man, frowning at the, again, random subject change.

"When I devote myself to something, in this case someone, I expect a certain degree of devotion in return." Trafalgar took a bite of truffle before continuing. "The reason why I said it will be easier that you are not currently seeing someone romantically, is because, in our arrangement, I will be expecting monogamy."

Kid froze, staring at Trafalgar, not fully processing what was being said just yet.

"I will, of course, return your faithfulness with my own. This way, not only will we both be certain there will be no sudden unfortunate... surprises, but we will also be able to devote ourselves more fully to our arrangement. I am very flexible with our agreement, but I must insist on this one stipulation of mine." Trafalgar looked at him fully. "I hope you understand."

Kid nodded somewhat numbly. He understood, it was only natural that once you had bought and paid for something, that you wouldn't want to share your toy with anyone else.

But five years... For five years, even if he met someone he could see himself spending the rest of his life with, he wouldn't be able to pursue it.

Not if he didn't want to lose everything.

"Of course." He nodded and busied himself with trying the soufflé, not really tasting it but saying it was good all the same.

"I am happy we are in agreement. Please, remember, I will not be seeking any sort of romantic encounters outside of our relationship either. I will extend my affections only to you..." The last was said almost softly.

Kid only nodded, not really believing it. Why remain faithful to  _him_? He was pretty much just a callboy or something, someone for the businessman to fill his life with and play with when he was bored.

They weren't friends, and it wasn't a relationship like the other seemed insistent on calling it. It was a business deal, no more and no less.

They finished their dessert, the silence only being filled with meaningless chatting about the weather and the city, small questions about Trafalgar's work as a surgeon and questions about Kid's ideas for his degree.

The time passed quickly and soon Trafalgar was walking him to the door, exchanging goodbyes and plans to call once he had made all the proper arrangements and paperwork to enter Kid into school.

As the younger man stepped through the door, Trafalgar halted him.

"So, in a few days time, I will call you to let you know when I have the papers. I will send a driver to pick you up at a location of your choosing to bring you to my office, we can go over them together and you can sign them. Then you are in and I shall begin to meet my end of the agreement. But if you should need anything, you have my number."

Kid nodded. "Got it, and then... I'll um... meet mine." He tried not to stutter, to only show a little of his nervousness and not how much the thought bothered him.

Trafalgar nodded and then stepped uncomfortably close to him, Kid almost feeling the other's body pressed against him. A hand appeared on his face, gently cupping his cheek. Kid swallowed nervously, but tried to remain calm, and not let the invasion of his personal space bother him, while looking fixedly past the man.

He didn't notice the other bring his face closer to his, only felt the warm, sweet smelling breath hit his skin a second before he felt a warm mouth pressed to his.

* * *

Aaaaaand COCKBLOCKED.~ -cackles evily and dodges bricks like a champ- AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA THOUGHT YOU WAS GETTING SOME DIDN'T CHA! WHO KNOWS, I MAY CONTINUE IT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! So is Kid just getting a sweet soft kiss goodbye? Or is Law collecting a little somethin-somethin early?~ Who knows (I and my beta do) what will happen next.~

-blows kisses at the knives I dodge- You know you love me.~


	6. Chapter 6

Kid shook his head for what felt like the hundredth time, trying to clear it, and went back to staring at the TV, not really registering what was playing, as he tried to block out the thoughts going through his head at a hundred miles an hour.

He stopped his hand from reaching to touch his lips for the umpteenth time in the last three days. He scowled and dropped his hand. ' _This is stupid, I'm not some pathetic lovesick schoolgirl, and this ain't some shitty love story.'_

He growled as his mind flashed back to the other day once again.

"Fuck, that guy makes me nervous..." Kid rubbed his face with a hand and tried to focus on the TV series he'd put in, one belonging to the twins, about some 'doctor' who saves the universe. It was actually pretty good, but he didn't have the attention for it right now.

Kid sighed and turned it off. He looked around him at the lobby of the abandoned hotel they'd made their home years ago. When they'd first taken over, it had looked like a wreck, and it still kinda did. But they'd at least cleaned it up and made it livable. They had converted the lobby into a sort of living and recreational area to hang out when they felt like it.

But Wire had left for the clinic hours ago and Heat had talked about a bookstore sale or something.

Kid had no idea where the twins had wandered off to. Which admittedly made him antsy.

Just as he thought about that, a loud bang came from upstairs and was followed by the sound of something falling down the stairs.

He sighed and made no move to get up as the group's biggest troublemakers came tumbling down the stairs. Kid sighed again when they landed in a heap at the foot of the stairway, he eyed them but relaxed when they stood up and were already dusting themselves off.

"So, what was it this time? If you're fucking around with those shitty chemistry sets again, Wire won't fix you up if you lose a finger." He called out. While he was exasperated with the two, he was thankful for the distraction.

"Boss!" Two voices rang out in perfect sync and both men ran over to him.

Once they had reached him and plopped down on either side of the redhead, Kid feeling the couch shake from the bouncing, they started talking at the same time, their voices getting tangled up as they both tried to inform their boss of what they'd been up to.

Kid, fighting back a headache, just smacked them both up the side of their heads. "One at a time, dipshits."

Snake, the slimmer and more flamboyant of the brothers, beat his brother to it and spoke. "We're not using the chemistry sets."

The redhead almost sighed in relief before Spine, the more muscular brother, continued excitedly. "We've switched to using the electrical stuff we found at the scrapyard!"

Kid groaned miserably but resigned himself to their insanity. "Don't touch my tools, don't start any fires, and when you make a mess you clean it up. If Heat asks, I know nothing."

He almost grinned at the thought of how pissy Heat always got whenever the twins ran around fucking shit up, but also winced at the very idea of the blunet finding out he had known something and hadn't done anything about it. Heat respected him too much to actually yell at him or anything, but that quiet disappointed sulk was almost as bad.

It was even worse when he would switch Kid's coffee with decaf and 'cleaned' the redhead's room so he couldn't find anything.

Kid sweated a little at the memory of the last time it had happened, he'd been fucked up for a week.

As he was about to ask them if they were going to be around for dinner in a couple of hours, a ringing sound interrupted him.

The redhead froze before directing his gaze to the cell phone set on the coffee table in front of him.

Kid leaned over and grabbed it, checking the caller ID before he pressed answer, and asked the caller to wait a second. He turned to the brothers looking curiously up at him.

"It's about school, I'm gonna take this to my room, okay? Try not to make too much noise." After they beamed and nodded quickly while giving a thumbs up, the redhead smiled back at them, hoping it didn't seem as tense as he felt, and made his way upstairs.

He entered his apartment and closed the door behind him before he lifted the phone back to his ear. "Sorry about that, I can talk now."

"Ah, it's fine. I can appreciate your desire for discretion. But that aside, I am calling to say it is done. I have only a few things you need to sign and you can start at the beginning of this semester."

Kid felt numb. He was  _in._  He'd done it. Everything he dreamed of was so much closer now. Even if Trafalgar got tired of him later and dropped him, the mere fact that he had gone to such a 'prestigious' school for whatever amount of time would open up more opportunities than he would even know what to do with.

He should be thrilled.

Only he really couldn't bring himself to feel anything but maybe a deep sense of foreboding.

Kid was in. Trafalgar had all but fulfilled the main part of his end of the deal, the only thing needed was Kid's own signature. And before the ink was even dry the older man would most likely have him on his back, ready to begin collecting his payment.

"That's good. So tomorrow, just send a car to the edge of North Blue bordering South, 86th intersection, North Pole Street. I'll be there for it to pick me up at the library."

"I shall look forward to our meeting." The smooth voice replied.

"...Yeah." Kid said quietly.

"Good night, Eustass-ya."

"Night." The redhead ended the call.

He stared down at the phone. Finally he closed his eyes and slid down the wall in the kitchen. The young man placed his head between his knees and breathed heavily.

It was done. Kid was going to get everything he wanted.

"Fuck."

 

* * *

 

The next day at six in the evening, Kid climbed out of the pricey Bentley model and headed into one of the tallest skyscrapers he'd ever seen.

The redhead looked around the lobby, much better and yet at the same time not that much different than the college's lobby.

The plants were nicer and real, he even touched one to confirm it, and there were some impressive water fixtures, a part of the wall on one side was a waterfall filling a tank that contained koi fish. Really, it looked like a lobby you'd expect from a five star hotel or something.

The redhead had barely made it halfway across the room, headed for the reception desk, when he was approached by a woman.

He opened his mouth to explain why he was there, expecting another snobbish secretary or something when the woman spoke, bowing to him.

"Eustass Kid, I presume?"

Kid blinked at the polite tone and gesture. "Uh, yeah, why?"

"Mr. Trafalgar has given me instructions to escort you to his office once you arrived. Please follow me." The primly dressed office lady bowed once more and motioned to an elevator.

The redhead had to admit he was vaguely impressed by the woman's professional attitude as they made their way up. The whole ride had been filled with a somewhat comfortable silence with the woman only asking if he required anything before his meeting. She hadn't once looked at him like he was some bit of dirt on the bottom of her shoe, or spoken to him in an ass-kissing manner.

Occasionally, as they were walking through one of the halls, office workers would bow their heads respectfully at both him and one another before continuing on with their work and getting to where it is they need to go.

_'Guess Trafalgar's company really is on a whole different level than most.'_  Everything was pristine and the whole atmosphere screamed professionalism to the extreme.

They finally stopped in front of a desk to the right of a large set of doors, but his current surroundings was the last thing he was concerned with. He was more focused on the man sitting behind the desk. The man was definitely one of the largest people Kid had ever seen.

Disregarding what had to be a custom fitted suit, the intimidating aura surrounding the giant made him look like he bench-pressed large trucks as a warm up for exercise and ate nails for breakfast.

"Good evening, Mr. Jean. Mr. Eustass to see Mr. Trafalgar."

The giant nodded, his almost angry expression never changing as he spoke. "Thank you, I'll take it from here."

The office lady bowed once more to both of them and left.

Once she left, the two men stared at one another, neither breaking eye contact, for a good minute at least. The older man finally broke his stare, seeming satisfied with what he had seen in the younger man.

Kid cleared his throat. "So... You his bodyguard or something?"

'Mr. Jean' actually chuckled slightly. "Everyone makes that assumption. I'm actually Law's secretary, though head of security is my second job."

Kid felt a little surprised that the man had used Trafalgar's given name. This change made the redhead somewhat, not at ease, but a bit more relaxed about the doctor.

The redhead stared for a moment. "That must be a pretty big workload. He must have a lot of confidence in you then. Name's Kid."

Though he knew the other man most definitely knew of him already, he preferred to introduce himself anyway. Besides, something told him he'd be seeing a lot of the much larger man, so he might as well be on somewhat friendly terms with him.

The larger man nodded in deference to the younger man. "Jean Bart. Call me Jean." He picked up a phone on his desk and pushed a button. Kid was a little interested to know how such big hands managed the small buttons of the deskphone, but refocused on what the other was doing. Jean spoke into the phone. "Yeah, he's here. Uh huh. Alright. Yeah, I remember. Got it."

The giant hung up and waved the redhead to the doors while he pressed another button. "Go on in, he's waiting for you."

Kid nodded and started for the doors. "Thanks."

"No problem. Let me know if ya need anything."

As the redhead entered the room, he was struck by the seemingly endless view of the sky.

The entire wall opposite of him was nothing but seamless glass all the way to the incredibly high vaulted ceilings. He stared for a good long minute, before blinking and turning to take in the rest of his surroundings.

There was a large desk across from him, black metal and glass, much like the rest of the monochrome room. Everything had a highly modern feel, from the silvery patterned wallpaper, to the snow white carpet.

A soft sound caught his attention and his eyes were drawn to two black leather couches facing each other over a glass coffee table, and sitting there was Trafalgar.

"Welcome to my private office, Eustass-ya. I hope your journey here was uneventful."

Kid nodded stiffly. "It was fine, you have a nice car."

Trafalgar tilted his head in question. "Ah, which was it that you rode in? You may have it if you like."

The redhead stared at the older man for a moment. "Uh, it was a Bentley, the latest Flying Spur model I think. But, uh, no thanks, I'm good."

Trafalgar smiled. "If you're sure. Would you like to sit? I thought this might be more comfortable than sitting at my desk." He gestured to the plush leather seat next to him.

"Sure." He nodded a little too quickly due to nerves and walked over to sit next to the other man, sure that ignoring the older man and sitting across from him would be seen as rude.

Settling down with a good bit of distance between them, Kid spoke. "Um, so you said you have some things for me to sign?"

The surgeon nodded. "But first, would you like something to eat or drink? If you're hungry, I could have something brought up. Or if you'd just like a drink, I have water, juice, or a nice bottle of whiskey, along with a few wines." He offered.

"No, I'm good." He wasn't hungry and he didn't feel up to drinking anything in his current circumstances.

"Very well, I have the papers here if you would like to get started." Trafalgar leaned forward to lift up a folder and handed it to the younger man.

Kid nodded. He opened the folder and began reading through the papers carefully.

Just as he made his way to the bottom of the first page he tilted his head and asked a question. "So, what do you mean when you say you want more than- sex?" He steadily kept his eyes glued to the paperwork. "You mean, like dates?"

Kid continued to read as he waited for the doctor to reply. As he read, he mentally patted himself on the back for spending so many hours reading up on business jargon and other complicated shit at the library over the last three days.

But at least it prepared him to be able to understand everything correctly and, though he wasn't letting his guard down, the documents looked to be just standard personal documents and confirmations. The redhead went ahead and checked no in a box asking if he would be staying on campus, skipping the small section of options for accommodations.

"Ah, yes. Dates, of course, are included. But there are other things."

Kid read over the after school activities section and thought over if he would really join any clubs. "Other things?" He just checked 'undecided'. He wanted to check out the clubs first to see if he really was interested, and to make sure they weren't filled with complete assholes and were actually worth his time.

"Weekends, when you have no prior plans made with your friends, will be spent together in a casual setting. When I have extended business trips, I would like you to accompany me, provided they do not interfere with your academics. Planned vacations, and so on. All of which you will be consulted on and ensured that it does not, in any way, conflict with your schooling. Also, at some point, I will ask you to attend formal events with me."

The redhead nodded slowly in agreement, though he understood that he was supposed to be the older man's 'companion', he was surprised that the other wanted to be seen that much in public with him. A restaurant was one thing, but at a party full of bigfish? That was... He really didn't know what to think about it.

"That's fine, but, uh, I don't really have any experience with the formal bit. You'd have to help me with that, like with manners and the appropriate clothes and stuff."

The doctor chuckled. "It will be my pleasure to aid you in any way I can, I will instruct you in etiquette personally."

Kid nodded and checked off a few more things in silence, Trafalgar sipping casually from his drink.

When he finally got to the signatures, however, the dark haired man stopped him. "Before we proceed, may I have a moment to speak with you about an... unsavory matter?"

The younger man frowned and lowered the papers. He didn't like the sound of that. "What is it?"

Trafalgar seemed to contemplate his words carefully before speaking. "There are those that will be more... forthcoming with their various... 'opinions' of our relationship. Either from those I may associate with, at your school, and other such unimportant people who feel their views are relevant."

"Basically, a bunch of people who'll think I'm a golddigging slut." Kid said dryly and shrugged, having already prepared himself for it. "Doesn't matter, I expected that much."

Of course, he expected it. While Trafalgar may try to pretty the whole thing up with fancy words, it was what it was. Kid was accepting financial security in trade for his dignity. Not that there was really anything wrong with it. Sex was sex, and his body was his own to do with what he wanted. He knew plenty of girls on the street who made their money that way. They worked with what they had to get by.

But Kid had a choice. He could have waited another year, tried again. But he was too tired, frustrated, and had too much riding on this to let this opportunity go. He didn't care if people thought he was 'taking the easy way out', his life had been hard enough, anyone who thought otherwise could choke on their fucking 'holier than thou' attitudes.

Didn't mean that their assholishness didn't piss him off.

Trafalgar frowned slightly as though he'd tasted something bad. "I hope you do not personally see yourself in that light. You are far more than that. Also, if anyone should overstep their boundaries with you, I would appreciate it if you informed me immediately."

The redhead scowled. "I can take care of myself." He didn't need to 'go running to daddy' cause some fuckers spouted stupid shit about him.

But it was going to be a  _long_  school year if he had to hold back from tearing shitbags apart to keep from getting kicked out.

"As I am sure you can. In a physical sense, in your element, I am positive you could silence any fools with equally foolish thoughts. However, you must keep in mind that you will be going to a place where fists and even words cannot resolve many situations. It makes you no less of a man to use what resources you have. I am on your side and at your disposal." He spoke softly but with an underlying sense of cold iron. "If you insist on seeing yourself as being used by me, then I insist that you use me as well."

The redhead didn't know what to say to that, so he just nodded, though he still didn't plan on bothering the older man with something like that.

With that out of the way, they talked over a few of the details that needed signatures for various things, and once Kid was satisfied with Trafalgar's answers, he finished signing the papers and handed them to the other man.

The doctor carded through them for a moment to check and make sure they had missed nothing, before nodding in satisfaction and placing them aside for now.

When the older man turned back to him, Kid suddenly felt a little anxious before Trafalgar spoke.

"In the morning, I will have them sent to the dean's office and I will stop by the bank to open an account in your name. You will have a debit card and your required class materials in your hand by tomorrow evening at the latest." The dark haired said with a light smile. "Later this week, at your earliest convenience, we shall see a tailor to have your uniforms made. Perhaps this coming weekend you can have dinner with me at my home, if you're free, of course."

Kid blinked, feeling a little dizzy at how fast everything was going, before nodding. "Okay. So, uh, should I go now?"

"Not quite."

The redhead didn't see Trafalgar move until he was suddenly on his back. The older man's face hovered above his own. He could feel warm poofs of breath washing over his own mouth. "I think perhaps we should celebrate by 'sealing' our deal, so to speak."

The other's lips felt like a brand on his own.

 

* * *

 

Okay, to answer some questions before they're even asked, the 'twins' ARE cannon characters from One Piece. They are the two mohawk guys you see with Kid when he fights Kuma. They don't have anything known about them and they don't even have official names yet, so I've made them fraternal twins and have coined the names 'Snake' and 'Spine' from the lovely and amazing 'ObsidianPhantom' co-writer of 'Arcane Dissonance' with TheBlondeBeagle over on fanfiction.net! -not so subtle promoting-


	7. Chapter 7

So sorry! I keep forgetting to update this! I'll update from now on every week until it's caught up to the main site I use to post my fanfics! Please enjoy this! :D THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WONDERFUL COMMENTS!

 

* * *

 

From the first day he had seen the other in person, Law had wanted to know what Eustass Kid's skin felt like beneath him and what the redhead tasted like beyond those pale pink lips. He had wondered how soft or firm the muscles were beneath the redhead's clothing, if they were every bit as perfect as the tight shirts hinted at. He had wondered just how sculpted was the ass that filled those jeans so nicely.

Unfortunately, his gloves, a necessity at this point in time, even now, prevented him from fully enjoying what the younger man had to offer. But being able to taste the smooth starkly pale skin against his mouth would have to make up for it.

When Law had surprised the redhead by pinning him to the couch, he was not surprised by the slight stiffening when he kissed his new lover. He supposed he should have given more of a warning, but he had been  _so_  patient and careful up to this point that a small bit of his restraint had to give. But just to ensure that Eustass didn't decide to bolt, he kept his attentions slow paced.

Law enjoyed the opportunity to finally deepen a kiss between them, curiously lapping at the more uncertain tongue, coaxing it to play and explore as well. Eustass was still reasonably young, so the doctor expected a certain lack of finesse from the redhead and took the lead.

He felt when the younger man finally began to relax and slightly pressed his mouth a tad too roughly into Law's own, his tongue trying to dominate the surgeon's but falling short. The doctor disregarded the inexperience as something they could work on later, it was completely understandable when age was factored in.

Law trailed a gloved hand teasingly down Eustass' face, letting his tongue sweep around inside once more before withdrawing to leave a moist trail down the other's jaw line. His teeth found purchase below one ear, just beneath the crimson hairline, where the younger man's scent was strongest and Law took a deep breath to take it in.

His teeth sank carefully into exquisitely pale flesh, loving the gasp that ripped from his newly acquired lover.

The surgeon suckled gently on the surprisingly sensitive spot, greatly enjoying the slight tremor that raked through the younger man, followed by a soft moan.

He greatly wanted to hear more of those sounds from his Eustass' lovely mouth.

Law released the skin with a soft 'pop' and lightly blew on it before continuing down to the bit of collarbone that showed. He took a moment to appreciate that Eustass had chosen to wear a tight fitted black tank-top beneath an open blood-red button up.

As he bathed the area with small licks and kisses, he dragged his hands down the other's waist, lightly feeling the hidden abs he could detect below the almost clingy material. He blinked at the slight almost flinching he felt and the hitch of breath, he smiled at the thought of the other being ticklish, and filed it away to take advantage of the fact at a later occasion.

Law sucked harder on the small patches of skin on the other man's chest, stretching the neck of the shirt out slightly as he sought out more skin. He absently readjusted his position to something more comfortable, bracing one leg against the floor and placing the other between his Eustass' spread thighs.

When his knee brushed almost feather light against the redhead's upper thighs, he felt a jolt go through the other's entire body. Law paused for a moment before untucking the tank top from the front of the younger man's jeans and pushing it upwards, slipping a hand beneath the younger man slightly to aid its ascent, until it rested at the other's collarbone.

The redhead looked utterly ravishing.

A slight suspicion had begun to creep through the back of his mind, but it was so far-fetched when he gave it thought that he ignored it for a bit longer.

But when he began scraping his teeth far too lightly around the outer edges of one exposed pale pink nipple to invoke the loud gasp that came from his Eustass, he finally felt the suspicion gain some weight.

Deciding to test his hypothesis, Law leaned back up to lock his lips with the redhead's once more.

Meanwhile, he placed his hand firmly on the cut stark white abs, he ignored the light hitch in the other's breath, and splayed his fingers wide, taking a moment to appreciate the tight firm skin.

Law then let that hand slowly trail downwards, his fingertips just barely brushing the swell in the other's jeans between the younger man's thighs, when Eustass' knees snapped closed and a larger hand wrapped around his own, stopping it from going any further.

Law's suspicions were confirmed.

After a moment, Eustass seemed to realize what he had done and quickly released the older man's hand. "I-I'm sorry, um..." He slowly reopened his knees. "Sorry. Keep going."

Instead of disregarding the interruption and continuing, the older man did something else entirely.

He withdrew from touching the redhead, sitting back down on the other end of the couch and laughed.

Granted, it was a soft laugh, not even audible unless you were paying attention. But still, it seemed to miff the younger man.

"What?!" Eustass sat up as well, face still reddened from their activities, small red marks already appearing against his pale skin. His hair was mussed and he looked like a riled and hissing cat.

_'Utterly adorable.'_  Law thought, and it only added to his mirth, which didn't seem to please Eustass at all. "Why are you laughing?!"

_'Oh, I have certainly 'struck gold' as it were.'_  Law finally gathered himself and calmed, knowing that he was being rather rude. "I apologize. But really, Eustass-ya. You should have told me."

The younger man shifted slightly, half in confusion, half in denial, as though he wasn't sure but suspected what the other was talking about. "Told you what?"

"That you are a virgin."

The silence in the room was deafening before Eustass' brain seemed to process what the surgeon had said.

"I-I'm not! I've got plenty of experience!" Law had to stop from laughing again. "I-I was just thrown, I didn't really expect you to just jump me! But I'm fine! We can keep going!" The younger man tried reaching for him, but Law put a stop to it by darting his hand out and grabbing the other between his legs full on.

The effect was instantaneous, with Eustass nearly jumping out of his skin and falling off the couch with a yelp, barely missing knocking into the coffee table.

At this, Law did chuckle. "No, I think not. This does changes some things though." He said thoughtfully. This knowledge changed quite a few things actually.

Eustass suddenly froze and lept back up to his feet. "No! So what if I've never done it?! That doesn't have to change anything! You still want me, right?!" The redhead seemed to be bordering on a panic attack.

Law frowned at his new lover and spoke gently. "Of course I do. That much has not changed. Rest assured, our deal will continue. Please." He patted the seat next to him and waited until the other calmed enough to sit before speaking again.

"Like I said, this does change some things." He held up a hand when Eustass made to speak. "Please, allow me to explain. The things that it changes will not in any way impact your end of the bargain. You will keep all of your benefits, if anything, perhaps more so. Your lack of practical experience does not change my desire of you. If anything, it increases it." A lover he could teach and slowly mold into what he wanted was indeed more viable, if not more interesting. "What it  _does_  change is my behavior."

Law stood to refill his drink. "Would you like something? Please, I insist."

The redhead hesitantly nodded and the surgeon smiled. "Anything specific?" When the younger man shook his head, Law simply poured a tumbler of fruit juice and handed it to him before refreshing his whiskey.

He smiled slightly at seeing the glass half empty when he turned back around and sat a short ways from the other.

"As I was saying, the only thing that will be affected is my behavior. I will not touch you." At his Eustass' incredulous expression, he continued with. "Without your permission." He took a sip from his own glass.

"I believe that is enough for tonight. I would like to ask you to dine with me at my home tomorrow evening to further discuss this new change. That is, if you do not have plans already."

Eustass slowly shook his head before speaking. "Uh no, I don't. Tomorrow is fine."

"Good. Should I send the car to the same place as before?" The redhead nodded and drained the last of his drink before standing.

Law approached his lover, ignoring the slight tensing of shoulders, and gently adjusted his Eustass' upper clothing to cover the evidence of their almost tryst.

"I would like to kiss you before you leave, but I do not think it would be wise at the moment. So know that I shall look forward to seeing you tomorrow." He softly smoothed a hand down one of the younger man's lapels before stepping back. "I will have Jean escort you back down. The car you rode here will be there to take you home by the time you reach the lobby."

He somewhat wistfully watched Eustass leave. "Good night, Eustass-ya."

Before he opened the door, the redhead turned back slightly and nodded uncertainly, though he tried to hide his confusion at the turn of events. "Yeah... Good night."

The door closed with a soft click and Law sighed. He eyed his tumbler and glanced down at himself with no small amount of amusement at his self-inflicted predicament. "I'm going to need another glass at least." He resigned himself to another long night.

Alone.

* * *

Kid sighed as he crossed the street towards the Bentley parked in front of the library. He scowled slightly when he noticed the dumbass was parallel parked, taking up two damn spaces. He'd seen dicks do it before, so their precious cars didn't get 'overcrowded' and end up with potential scratches and dings. It was a sign of an asshole and, in this neighborhood at least, was one of the quickest ways to get your car a nice long scratch from someone else's car keys as soon as your back was turned.

As Kid walked up to the car and tapped on the window, he saw the jackass was reading some magazine. He was tempted to tell the idiot off but decided to just let it go. It wasn't like he'd be paying for the cost of repairs, though he did feel a slight sympathy for Trafalgar shelling out cash for another's stupidity.

The driver took his sweetass time putting his magazine away and when he moved to get out to open Kid's door for him, like he had last time, the redhead snapped. "Just unlock the damn door, I ain't a damn pretty princess that might chip a nail, I can get my own door."

It was a little waspish even for him, when the other hadn't done anything to him personally, but Kid was feeling on edge today. He had been since last night, so the redhead had avoided his friends up until he left, as he didn't want to risk tipping them off that something might be wrong.

Once the driver got his head out of his ass and unlocked the door, Kid climbed in and they were off. The redhead wasn't that big on riding in the back, he preferred the front so he could see everything that was going on, but the one driving had just blinked at him stupidly when he had tried to ride upfront the first time, so Kid just left it alone.

He sighed and looked out the window to the sky, tuning out his surroundings.

* * *

The redhead started paying more attention to the changes in detail to his environment when he noticed they were passing through much greener areas. They seemed to have turned and were now going down a heavily wooded road. They continued like this for about twenty minutes, Kid had checked his phone, when they finally erupted into a spacious clearing.

He stared, dumbstruck, at the castle in front of them. Really, it was a large mansion, but to Kid it was a damn castle. It had to be at least eight stories tall, not the tallest building he'd ever seen but definitely the tallest 'house' he'd ever even thought of. He didn't even want to guess how wide it was, and especially not how far back it went.

The redhead tore his eyes from the mansion and looked around himself as they were pulling up in what he guessed to be, the driveway. The front 'lawn' of the house was mostly short grass with the occasional sculpture or fountain.

A bit off to the side of the house, he could see what looked like an entrance into an underground garage.

The redhead opened his door himself once they stopped, ignoring the driver once again. Kid hesitated before walking up the wide flight of stone steps to the large french doors. He took a deep breath and made to knock when suddenly the door he stood in front of swung open on its own.

* * *

Penguin had been working for Law as his valet for a few years now, and he had learned just about everything there was to know about the man. He was paid well, Law was not only his boss but his friend, and he'd like to think they were pretty close.

But the hat wearing young man honestly had not one damn clue what was going through his friend's head right now.

He knew that Law had a great many... eccentricities.

The two different almost full time occupations as both a prominent businessman and a surgeon, the fact that Law only took the most interesting cases as patients, the almost allergy he had to sleep, and an almost unnatural dislike of bread...

But that was beside the point.

_'Since when did escort services stop being enough? Sure as hell would save a lot more money than what he's doing.'_  But really, if Penguin let himself think about it, he knew why the almost solitary man was doing this. And really, he couldn't say much against it, as it, like every idea the surgeon had, was actually rather brilliant.

Hell, Penguin even approved of Law's choice of lover, having lived close enough to where the surgeon had said the young man was from, even knowing a bit about the redhead himself. Not that he saw it relevant to tell Law that, there was already quite a bit going on without helping the doctor learn things about someone when he could just ask himself.

Penguin was just undecided about the whole thing, there had to be better ways to find someone than this. But at the same time, he couldn't personally think of any.

All in all, he just really hoped this whole thing didn't blow up in his friend's face.

Penguin took another turn and wound up in the entrance room where he was to greet Law's newly appointed lover. He just hoped the guy was easy to get along with, as Penguin would be seeing quite a bit of the younger man in the near future. He also hoping it would be easier on the staff for when they were here.

_'Law must really like this guy though.'_  Not only was the businessman giving the South Blue resident access to his money and assets, Law had also told Penguin to inform the entire staff they were now to speak to and treat the redhead like they would Law.

Basically like royalty, though not including Penguin, of course, as the short haired blond would treat him like  _he_  did Law. As a friend.

Though if they actually would be remained to be seen.

He sighed and glanced down at the new watch that Law had given him, a gift from some ass-kisser hoping to get into the surgeon's good graces, and frowned when he saw that the car was late, as usual. He made a note to talk to Law again about replacing the driver.

Penguin sighed again and walked over to the door, intent on getting some fresh air until their guest arrived. But when he opened the door he was shocked to see the very redhead he'd been waiting for about to knock. The blond quickly fell into his greeting manner.

"Eustass Kid, right? Glad you could make it. Follow me and I'll take you to Law, he's already waiting for you."

* * *

Kid followed the man who introduced himself as 'Penguin', who apparently worked for and lived with Trafalgar. It was another person who called the man by his first name. Again, it relaxed the redhead to know there were people who seemed to treat the businessman like a semi-normal human being.

It somewhat made the man more approachable.

"So... Trafalgar really owns all this? How big is his family? Or does he just have a lot of friends who live with him?" He waved a hand to their surroundings.

Penguin looked over his shoulder slightly to talk. "Ah, Law lives here with just myself and one other permanent... staff member who's taken a few days off."

Kid almost stumbled.  _'All of_ this _for just three people? What kind of person buys a place this big just to leave it empty? Was it just for /looks/? Talk about a waste...'_

The hatted 'valet', as he'd revealed himself to be and explained it as basically being Law's 'right hand', must have figured out what the younger man was thinking because he spoke hurriedly. "Don't get him wrong though! He didn't just wake up one day and decide to splurge on this place! He's actually not that big on it, it's just been in his family for a long time and does have its uses every now and then."

Kid nodded and felt a little mollified by the other's explanation, relieved he wouldn't be stuck with some over indulgent prick who wasted money like napkins or something. Though if Trafalgar wasn't some kind of 'compulsive shopper', then Kid was at even more of a loss of trying to figure out why the older man had chosen him.

The red haired teenager was drawn out of his musings when the other man stopped in front of a door. "This is it."

Penguin pushed open one of the french doors and spoke. "Kid's here and dinner will be out in just a couple of minutes, need me for anything?" After a moment he ushered Kid inside and closed the door.

Kid felt nervous as fuck. It had been yesterday, but it felt like just a few minutes ago when the 'big reveal' and the clusterfuck had happened. He'd gone from about to get laid for the first time on a couch, to the other  _l_ _aughing_  and offering him something  _more_ , to about to have dinner with the man like nothing had happened.

"Good evening, Eustass-ya." Kid finally paid attention to the other man.

Trafalgar was sitting, not rising to greet him as he had before, at a somewhat medium sized table, dressed far more casually than he had seen him thus far. He wore a dark blue dress shirt, black slacks, and was barefooted from where Kid could see. "How was your ride here?"

"Long." Trafalgar was still wearing gloves, a different pair this time, ones in a thin looking dark blue material.

"I see, I experience the same most days, depending where I've gone for the day. The drive back has always been the worst." The doctor didn't expand on why.

Kid silently nodded and went to sit across from the man but hesitated. "Um..." He looked down at the carpeted floors and at Trafalgar's own bare feet. "Should I...?" He gestured to his boots.

The businessman blinked but then smiled as he processed the younger man's question. "Whatever makes you most comfortable."

Kid nodded slowly and bent over to remove his boots, picking them up and placing them by the chair he'd claimed as his. He quietly enjoyed the heavenly soft flooring beneath his own bare feet and curled his toes, not having had any clean socks today.

The young man sat down and took in his surroundings as the dark haired man spoke. "Is there anything special you would like for dessert? My kitchen staff can make anything you like. Dinner will be a simple roasted chicken and alfredo, unless, of course, there is something else you would prefer?"

Kid had been taking in the elaborate wall paper and the chandelier attached to the vaulted ceiling above them that he had the sneaking suspicion was real silver and crystal. "Um, no, that sounds good. I'll eat whatever for dessert..."

The redhead had been trying to distract himself by taking in every minute detail of the room to avoid talking too much with the older man. He felt his nerves over the situation buzzing in his stomach like irritable bees, both wanting to find out what the surgeon was planning on discussing and to pretend like the whole thing never happened.

Unfortunately he wouldn't be able to choose the later option.

"We will discuss the new amendments to our agreement shortly as the food will be arriving in the next few minutes, I suspect. Until then, shall we try to get to know each other more? No pressure, of course, but there is still much I am curious about concerning you." Trafalgar took a sip of what looked to be tea in a finely crafted porcelain cup.

Kid shrugged and kept his attention on his hands as they fiddled with the table cloth. "I won't promise to answer everything, but if I want to I will."

"Understandable, like I said, no pressure. We are simply making conversation so we aren't overwhelmed by a horrible awkward silence." The older man teased lightly.

The redhead felt a corner of his mouth twitch in a half smile. "Yeah. It okay if I ask questions too?"

Trafalgar nodded "Of course. Would you like to go first?"

Kid chewed his bottom lip in thought. "Um, that guy, Penguin? He, uh, said that this place belonged to your family? It's kinda big, and he said that you guys are pretty much the only ones living here right now? So... Why keep it? Why not get something smaller? I can't imagine the upkeep is easy or cheap."

Trafalgar was quiet for a few moments, long enough that Kid worried he'd asked something he shouldn't have.

"I do not keep it because it belonged to my parents and generations before them, if that were the only reason, I would have sold it long ago. No, I keep it for some sentimental reasons, but mostly it is simply convenient. My day to day 'environment' is based on 'presentation'. So, it is mostly for looks and when I host the occasional mandatory 'get together' with those I must associate with on a regular basis. On the plus side, however, the grounds are beautiful and there is plenty of room for when various friends feel inclined to plague my house for an extended stay."

The surgeon said the last bit with a somewhat fond smile, a real one, not one of those polite ones that the redhead had become used to. Kid thought he actually looked a little happy.

But something odd stuck the younger man. The other had said 'my house'. House. Not 'my home'. People only called where they live 'house' when it was just a house. Kid may live in a rundown building, but it was still his home.

It made the redhead feel a little sorry for Trafalgar, something he wasn't used to feeling.

"And you, Eustass-ya? May I ask where it is you live specifically? I know the address, but not the place itself."

"It's shit." Kid made no bones about it and didn't try to pretty it up. "The streets are crap, the buildings are crap, most stores are full of a bunch of crooks, the cops don't give a damn, no jobs worth doing, and some of the people are shitty too, 'specially to each other." He continued to pluck at the table cloth, still not making eye contact.

"But there's a lot of good things too. Most people are real and don't bullshit, we get some of the best sunsets out on the rooftops, and I have my family, people I look out for, and people who look out for me. We've never had much, but we never really needed much to be happy either." He glanced up to see the other's reaction.

Trafalgar had laced his gloved hands together and was looking at him over them. "You're very lucky. You grew up with people you love, and even luckier, who love you. What you lack in the materialistic sense, you have in overabundance in people you care for. You are an admirable man, Eustass-ya."

Kid didn't know what to say to that as he felt a bit of heat rise to his face. Thankfully, he was saved from answering by dinner arriving.

A woman in slacks, a dress shirt, and vest laid his plate in front of him, she sat a glass of tea next to it with a crystal pitcher a little ways from him. He thanked the woman and she smiled, nodding before repeating the same process with Trafalgar.

"If there is anything you need, I'll be just outside tending to a few things. Penguin said he will return in just a few minutes. Enjoy your meal." She left the way she came.

Kid finally picked up a fork, relieved to see there were nowhere near as many utensils as there were at the restaurant. There was the standard knife, fork, and spoon, and some odd looking fork he saw Law use back at the restaurant as well, so he guessed it was a salad fork.

He ignored it and used the regular fork to twirl the fettuccine noodles around it and speared a little piece of chicken on the end. He liked the fact that both noodles and white meat were mixed into the creamy alfredo sauce, instead of it traditionally being poured on top of the noodles with the chicken on top of that.

It tasted wonderful, he personally used a bit of raw garlic in his own, but he liked how this chef compensated with the hint of rosemary in the chicken. "It's really good, how do they get the sauce this creamy without making it too thick?"

The other man paused before looking up from his own plate. He tilted his head and seemed to be examining his dinner guest. "Do you cook, Eustass-ya?"

Kid blinked as he realized he had spoken aloud. "Um... Yes?"

He knew that some guys didn't see cooking, along with anything else resembling housekeeping, as very 'manly', but it was something he didn't get. Why wasn't being able to take care of yourself 'manly'? Dumbasses, even the twins knew the basics of cooking, and while he and Heat did most of the laundry, they all knew how to clean clothes, both manually and machine.

"Interesting, though in retrospect, I suppose it only makes sense being able to look after yourself. I, myself, on the other hand, am entirely ungifted in the area beyond simple sandwiches. One weekend, both of my chefs were out with the flu, Penguin was not yet a part of my household, and hardly anyone else was here at the time. I didn't feel like going out, so I tried to make my own dinner. I had been attempting to make salad and baked chicken, but I ended up having to remodel the kitchen after setting the oven, the microwave, and somehow the refrigerator, on fire. I am still uncertain as to how the last one occurred..."

The older man blinked when he heard a strangled sound and looked over to his red haired companion.

Kid had tried so hard to keep from laughing that he had choked on a stray piece of chicken. He was suddenly being patted firmly on the back until he could breathe again. He coughed and looked up to see Trafalgar standing over him, giving him a look caught between amusement and concern. "Are you alright?"

The redhead coughed one more time before taking a drink of his tea. "I-I'm fine. I'm sorry, I just couldn't imagine you doing that." He let a few watery chuckles escape before coughing again to clear his throat.

Trafalgar laughed a little himself. "No offense taken, I was rather beside myself with amusement at the time. A... close friend took great joy from this event and teased me endlessly, and still brings it up to this day. Though he is no better a cook than myself." The last part was said somewhat sullenly.

The doctor went back to his seat once he'd confirmed that his guest wouldn't be keeling over any time soon. "If you like, you may have a look at the kitchen during your next visit. I would certainly not mind and I doubt the chefs would either."

The younger man grinned. "Really? I could cook sometime too, if you want!" His mind was imagining just how great the kitchen would look and how well stocked a house like this must be, he could probably make just about anything.

The surgeon smiled. "I would like that very much and will look forward to it. I have already paid my chefs for the next week, so perhaps next weekend you could make dinner? If you do not make alternative plans, of course."

"Sounds grea-"

The door opened and the hat wearing valet was back. "I brought it like you asked." Penguin paused and looked between the two. "Sorry, if I interrupted something, I could come back later?"

"No, Penguin, now is just fine. We have just finished dinner, so the timing is perfect." Trafalgar stood as the woman from before collected their empty plates, she paused when Kid spoke.

"Uh, can you tell the chef that the rosemary in the chicken worked great? It helped balance the lack of much garlic in the sauce perfectly."

The lady blinked and then smiled brightly. "He'll be happy to hear it! I'll bring the dessert in in just a minute. It's a chocolate espresso pudding!" He smiled back and watched her hurry from the room to dispose of the dishes before returning with two decent sized bowls of the aforementioned pudding. "Enjoy!"

Trafalgar picked up his bowl and moved to a creme colored sofa, gesturing Kid to follow. "You may leave the papers here, Penguin." The other man took the hint and placed the folder in his boss' free hand, nodded to Kid, and left.

The red haired youth sat next to the other man, feeling the changed atmosphere. "So..."

The doctor seemed to detect his anxiety. "Please relax, Eustass-ya. There is nothing for you to worry about at all. Here." He handed the other the folder the valet had left him with.

Kid took the folder curiously and opened it, scanning the contents and almost choked again, this time on nothing but air. "What is this? This is-"

"Our contract. While our agreement is not strictly legal, I felt that perhaps it would ease your mind to have a- certain amount of 'leverage' over the situation, to put to rest any thoughts that I may 'bail' on our deal before the five years have ended." The doctor reached over and lightly tapped the paper. "This contract fully details all of our arrangement, including the new amendments. Penguin has already witnessed it for us. While I doubt that it will ever be necessary for these papers to be required to settle any 'matters', I hope that this shows my sincerity and devotion to keeping up my end of the bargain."

Kid was in shock. Verbal promises and money transfers were one thing, but this...

Beforehand, Kid had known that going into this, even if the businessman dropped him like a bad habit one day, there would be nothing he could do. Even if he told Killer, there was no way for them to touch Trafalgar with his money, connections, and damn pedigree.

But now... With this... If Trafalgar fucked with him, tried to cheat Kid in any way...

Once he and the doctor signed this, if he showed this to a lawyer like Killer, they could  _bury_  the man.

But Kid wasn't stupid. He knew that this also implicated him. While he may just get a slap on the wrist from the cops, if this contract  _ever_  became public, it wasn't only Trafalgar's life that would be ruined. No half decent college or job would ever take him.

He'd be right back where he started, piss poor and going nowhere fast, with no future.

So yeah, he might be able to screw over the businessman if the other tried to pull anything with Kid, but not without cutting his own throat with the double edged sword.

And the other man knew it too.

_'Bastard.'_  Though the redhead had to grudgingly give credit where it was due, it was smart. Kid couldn't really even call Trafalgar out on it either, as for all intents and purposes, he really was being handed the noose that could hang the older man.

"New amendments?" He decided to just push ahead.

The dark haired man nodded and turned to better face the other. "As I said yesterday, your... inexperience changes things." He nibbled on his pudding.

Kid scowled. "Still don't see how." He took a bite of his own pudding, taking a moment to appreciate the strong taste of espresso before setting it back down.  _'Why does it matter? Sex is sex, isn't it?'_

The businessman sat his own bowl down on the coffee table as well. "It changes things in that you are not prepared to handle sex as a whole with so little experience." He held up a hand when Kid was about to protest. "I am not questioning your ability to handle  _yourself._  Sex is different from any experience that you could think of. It would be best to ease you into it at a gradual pace. That said, I have amended the agreement so that until you are ready, I will not initiate any touch of a sexual nature beyond simple kissing."

Kid was confused. "But... Isn't that what most of this is about?" He waved a hand nervously. "Ha-have you changed your mind?! I told you! We can have sex, I was just- I was just a little unprepared last time!"

The redhead tried closing the distance between them, but was stopped by a hand on his cheek, a thumb gently stroking one high cheekbone.

"Eustass-ya." Another hand appeared on his other cheek and Trafalgar looked at the younger man closely, resting his forehead against Kid's own. "Do not rush. We have plenty of time for such things. What you do not realize is that, yes, we  _could_  have sex right now, right here. I could take you on this couch, the floor, or even the table. All of them if I pushed your endurance." Kid colored darkly at the mental images.

"But, you would eventually resent me for it." The red haired man frowned. "I promised you that I would not treat you like a whore, but a lover. And lovers, good lovers, care about these things. So anything that happens between us, at least at first, will be initiated by you when you are ready."

Kid then felt a soft press of lips on his own, the other's kiss never deepening, or lips moving, just resting against his as fingers gently combed through his hair. The redhead relaxed into the touch minutely, enjoying the nice feeling. Even if he knew that such a promise probably wouldn't last. That people, men especially, just didn't have that kind of restraint, he appreciated the gesture.

* * *

**-cackles evily- Aaaaand COCKBLOCK CRANKED UP TO THE TENTH POWER! -a deep dark laugh is heard- You thought this story was gonna be aaaall smutty, didn't you? Well that may be true for later chapters, but I am going to have SO much fun giving you all blue balls until then. -laughs happily as I am pummeled by my wonderful readers- Don't worry, you'll all enjoy it. ;)**

**This chapter we got a big unveiling concerning Kid, some POV from Law, little bit of character development, a character who just doesn't get enough love, and hints of why Law is doing what his is doing. So how'd I do? :D**

**Oh to answer a question that I have been asked, I already answered them but I thought I might put it out there in case anyone else was wondering. Kid is nineteen years old, recently turned too. Law? -shrugs with a evil grin-**


	8. Chapter 8

Here's an update for Trafalgar Law's birthday! :D October 6th! Please enjoy!

* * *

 

Kid closed the door of his apartment behind him and sighed tiredly.

The drive and then the walk back had taken even more out of him after the day he'd had. He mentally swore that the shitty driver had taken the long way around intentionally. There was no damn reason it should have taken over  _three fucking hours_  to get back.

Kid kicked off his shoes and shoved them beneath the coat rack he'd recently made by the door. He had gotten tired of gathering things up and tripping over them while rushing to leave over the last few weeks, so he thought this way would be less time consuming.

He pulled off his shirt and dropped it in the already full laundry basket, making a mental note to ask Heat to go around and collect the others' baskets so they could do laundry tomorrow. He was out of socks _and_  underwear. Usually it was just one or the other but lately he hadn't had time to worry about it.

But he was starting to chafe something fierce and sitting on the metal benches at the bus and subway stations were becoming a bitch.

The redhead scratched the back of his neck and walked through the living room off the side of the kitchen. He looked around before just grabbing a snack from the jar full of junk food he kept on the coffee table and went into his bedroom.

He bit into the little chocolate cake before undoing his belt and removing his jeans in favor of a black and yellow pair of drawstring sweats.

Before tossing his jeans into the second laundry basket, he drew out the papers stored in the pocket.

The red haired youth sighed and wondered what he should do with them. He was keeping them, of course, but he needed to find a place to put them where they wouldn't be found by accident.

This was  _not_ something he wanted to explain to any of his family.

Kid sighed again and looked around before walking over to his cabinet, opening one of the doors and taking out a crate where he stored bits of unneeded sewing supplies.

He removed some of the contents and folded the papers to bury them under the mess of fabric, thread, and embroidery.

After putting everything back, he padded over to his bed and flopped down on it. Kid buried his face in his pillow and finally let himself try to wrap his mind around everything that was going on.

Now that everything was quiet and he was alone, he was able to pay attention to his fraying mind's frantic thoughts.

Yeah, sure, he finally had what he wanted, access to a prestigious school that would make his record shine as bright and squeaky as it gets. But he was also paying the price for it, his dignity. There was nothing wrong with using what you've got to get by in life, but this felt like he was taking the coward's way out, the idea of failure having been too much for him.

And when it had been time to pay the price, he'd flinched. He was completely out of his depth with this type of thing. The redhead wasn't completely unfamiliar with the concept, he had plenty of 'big sisters' who worked the streets for a living and who had even helped him build his impressive 'vocabulary'. He knew plenty about sex. But it was all in theory and had never been directed at  _him_  before.

The fact that Trafalgar had changed his mind about extracting his payment from him didn't help much either. Yeah, in theory, he was able to take his time with this, but it felt like a cop out. He'd made a deal and he was being given an out, as temporary as it was, and he didn't exactly like it. It made him feel like an even bigger coward.

Kid really didn't know what to do.

* * *

"I don't want to move, why should I?" The redhead growled as he picked at the cheesecake before him.

They were in a sort of greenhouse on Trafalgar's estate, seated at a fancy cafe like setup. The chairs were white and they were surrounded by flowers and other kinds of plants, roses mostly but also some he couldn't really identify.

"Because it would make the most sense, Eustass-ya." The older man was typing away on a laptop; he had apologized when Kid had gotten there, saying that even though he had been the one to call the redhead over earlier that morning, he was unable to give him his undivided attention.

Kid was only irritated at being woken up so early just to be invited over for lunch on a Saturday, especially since he had planned to sleep until noon at least. "I still don't see it." He huffed.

Trafalgar typed a few more things quietly before seeming to relax and shut the laptop with a soft snap. "Will you agree to allow me to state my case at the very least?"

The redhead almost scowled, knowing he really wasn't in the position to say no, and the other knew it too. "Go ahead."

The doctor nodded in thanks. "The first point I wish to make is the distance and the amount of time wasted. From where you currently live, at least from where you are regularly picked up, to my home takes a minimum of three hours, correct?" Not waiting for an answer, he continued. "Now that is six hours back and forth. That in itself worries me, as when the semester begins, you will not have nearly as much free time as you do now. As for the school, it takes, say, two hours? That makes four hours of commute, five days a week. This is not including visits to my home or even my office, which takes at best an hour from your starting point."

The older man removed his laptop from the table and laid it on a spare seat, then leaned over on his elbows, hands clasped together. "My second point comes from a financial point of view. As I have informed you, money is the least of my concerns, but these things do tend to add up, and I would rather you spend that elsewhere in a more leisurely form."

Kid eyed the other man. "I can't move in with you." His stomach clenched uncomfortably at the idea that that may be what the doctor was really trying to say. "It'd be the same problems." Though, granted, he wouldn't have to walk the two and a half blocks to the library every couple of days to meet his ride.

Still, the idea of being so far away from everything and everyone he knew was unsettling at best.

Trafalgar held up a hand. "No, no. That is not what I am suggesting. The problems aside, I do not want to push you away by demanding too much of you at once. While extended stays will be recommended on some weekends, living together on a semi-permanent basis would be a tad too fast in our relationship." The dark haired man seemed to be holding back something else, but Kid slowly nodded.

"So, what are you suggesting?"

The surgeon smiled slightly. "As it stands, living where you do now, not only is a waste of funds, but will put a great strain on not only your spare time, which is important as you need to get plenty of sleep and take proper care of yourself, but your studies as well. And if an emergency were to happen, it would take me some time to reach you."

The younger man snorted. "Uh huh, and the fact I wouldn't have hardly any time to see you has nothing to do with it." He said bluntly.

Trafalgar simply smiled widely with amusement and lifted his hands upwards, as if to say 'you caught me'. "I cannot say that it is not a worry of mine. But still, the matter remains. What I suggest is finding an apartment or similar accommodations to find a happy medium to all of this."

Kid begrudgingly admitted to himself that it made the most sense, but he was still reluctant. "I'm happy where I am now."

The doctor nodded slowly. "I can understand that, but will you at least agree to think it over? It truly is in your best interests, not just mine. When your studies begin, the less you have to worry about the  
better."

The young man finally sighed and nodded, if just to get the other to drop the subject.

The rest of the afternoon was spent talking about classes Kid would be taking, as well as making plans for when to have Kid fitted for his uniforms, and any other clothing he would need. When the sun started to set, the redhead returned home, disgruntled with how he could still feel the warm imprint of the man's lips on his cheek.

* * *

Over the next few days, Law had managed to 'politely' badger the post-adolescent into agreeing to look at a few apartments the company that the doctor had hired had lined up for viewing.

The businessman had been interested when his young lover had climbed into the car with a toolbelt filled with objects such as a flashlight, a measuring tape, and various other things. Though odd, it did provide a few inappropriate images in his mind.

As the day went on, Law had been both exasperated and impressed when the redhead had continually shot down one top of the line condo or apartment after the next. His lover frequently grumbling something about cookie cutter apartments and the half-assed crews that built them.

The surgeon had thought he had found something to the other's liking, only for the younger man to inform him that the windows were not treated properly, the brand new kitchen fixture had no flacking so was screwed into nothing but drywall and would be coming down on the first person who hung a heavy pot on it. He had growled that the 'licensed idiots' hadn't even installed the plumbing properly.

Law would admit that this certainly made him reevaluate the estate company that had provided him the listings. Every apartment and condo they had seen today were priced well into the millions; if this was what they were showing to one of their primary benefactors, he would hate to see what they considered 'unsuitable'.

The next day they were at it again. This time Law had switched to another company, but again the results were the same. The dark haired man had finally turned to a rather annoying friend with his problem and the other had gladly given him a name. The company that he contacted was more than happy to give him their best listings. These, thankfully, were doing much better than the previous.

Most, at least, seemed to stand up to his Eustass' critical eye, many of the former complaints having stopped. The surgeon thought that maybe things would be easier now, but the younger man would still find some reason not to like a listing. It was also the first time he had ever heard someone complain about 'too much space', and while he appreciated his lover's efficient nature, Law also wanted the other to make a choice.

It was the final stop on the fifth day when they found it.

Whatever misgivings the businessman had had were banished when he watched the redhead practically fall in love with the admittedly beautiful apartment. Law had flat-out refused to mention the price to the younger man, he had the paperwork processed and obtained the keys within an hour.

The doctor had certainly never given an estate company such high marks before, he had also made sure to personally thank a flustered housing agent for giving him the listing as a consideration. Law assured them that he would be extending his patronage to them exclusively in the future. He had, that night, reluctantly expressed his thanks to his helper, even enduring the joyous insanity that followed.

When Kid had sat down with the guys that night and told them he would be moving out, he had thought long and hard on what he should tell them and had finally decided to pass off his 'good fortune' as being the 'charity case' of some big time organization CEO who wanted to look good by helping some poor student get into the school and that Kid was just reaping the benefits.

After the initial shock had worn off, Wire had patted him on the back as the twins tried to choke him in the form of a hug. Heat had made Kid promise to come back and stay every other weekend, stating that with their 'fearless leader's' short attention span, he would drown in dirty laundry at the end of each month. The guys had all laughed as the redhead scowled but agreed.

They wanted to help Kid move into his new place, but he said he would only need to take a few things as a lot had already been provided, when in fact Trafalgar would be dragging him out the next day to buy furniture. The doctor had stated that Kid would need his things where they were for when he returned home on weekends and the younger man had reluctantly agreed, at least it meant he'd have less to carry.

So the red haired man had made them all promise to wait a few days until he was settled for them to come over, then he would give them full reign over his place and let them bring stuff for a housewarming party. They all agreed to wait.

Over the next two days, Kid had spent time at Trafalgar's place, going through magazines provided by the businessman for what he wanted in his new apartment. He almost had a heart attack when he saw some of the prices in them, but the jackass would conveniently go deaf every time Kid launched a complaint over the expense.

The redhead had finally relented, but kept his purchases to a minimum, letting Trafalgar buy him a couple of new bedroom and kitchen sets, as well as a few sparse furnishings for the living room.

Though he really couldn't stop the excitement he felt over the elaborate entertainment system and huge screen TV he let Trafalgar splurge on. He had simply erased the price from his mind afterwards.

Beyond that, the redhead stated he could find the rest on his own and made a mental note to stop at some of his favorite secondhand shops to bring some of his personality to the place.

Now, the night after he had gotten everything settled, he heard a familiar pounding on his new apartment's front door.

He stopped to unlock it before pulling it open — it was a new experience having to lock his door as he was used to not having to as he'd previously had nothing of value to steal — and he was greeted by two mohawk sporting brothers slinging their arms around him and speaking a mile a minute.

"Boss, boss! This place is fucking  _awesome!_  I mean, we almost got attacked at the front door by some crazy old lady with a body like  _bam!_  But this place has a pool the size of  _five_  cars!" Snake was grinning from ear to ear, overjoyed by his friend's new digs.

Spine nodded just as excitedly. "And there's a  _park_  nearby with  _grass_  and  _trees!_  I don't think I saw a single dealer!" He and Snake were shoved past Kid and into the apartment to be replaced by a blue haired man slightly older than Kid and the twins.

"I'm surprised the drive here wasn't too bad, only an hour's bus ride. Route takes you just one block from here. So what part of North Blue is this exactly?" Heat was holding a box full of things he'd scrounged up to put in Kid's room, they were bits and pieces that the redhead had forgotten or been unable to find to take with him.

Kid smiled as he reached into the box and pulled out one of his favorite pairs of goggles that he'd lost awhile back. "It's not exactly in North, it's where East and North kind of fuse somewhere along the middle. Haven't had much time to look around, but I saw some cool places nearby and it's close to where I need to be." It was only a thirty minute drive to the school he'd be going to and only twenty-five minutes to Trafalgar's. The surgeon had been more than happy with Kid's choice, the smug bastard.

"Well, I like it, I think you'll be okay here at least. So long as you remember to keep it clean and  _take your damn shoes off idiots!_ " The blunet had already been eyeing the hall where they were standing and had snapped at the twins who had been about to leave the entrance area to explore. "Though this really is nice. Oak?" He tapped the flooring beneath their feet.

"Bamboo actually, I researched it and it's pretty damn durable, and actually not that expensive. Might look into it for back home." Kid stepped aside, taking the box from Heat so the other could come inside. "Kitchen's on the left, living room's straight ahead, everything else is spread out." The blunet smiled and entered, already calling out to the twins not to mess anything up.

"So... Are you comfortable?" Kid turned back to look at the remaining member of their group, Wire looking down at him quietly. Kid took the question for what it really was.

"Haven't met the landlady yet, but most of the other residents are all businessmen who travel, though there's some families on the bottom floor, I think. But no problems, I'm fine." He transferred the box to one arm and patted the oldest man's shoulder, letting Wire know that he was just fine.

The tall man nodded and ducked under the doorway to enter. He hauled up a bag to show Kid. "Brought some stuff from the center to stock up your first aid kit. Just in case."

The redhead nodded gratefully and took it in his other hand. "I'll put these away, take a look around." His larger friend closed the door behind him and wandered off deeper into the apartment.

Kid hefted his things a bit to carry them more comfortably and headed to his new room.

It was definitely a lot bigger than his other one, with windows he didn't have to keep boarded up that gave him a great view of the picturesque park not far from there. He'd never seen cherry blossom trees in person before, but the park was covered in them. Guess the name of the complex made more sense that way. 'Sakura Apartments' wasn't a bad name when he thought about it.

He looked up at the sound of the door opening and smirked as one of the twins ducked inside, no doubt hiding from a certain blunet. "Boss!" Snake looked around while grinning. "This your room?"

Kid nodded and waved a hand, signaling for the other to check it out. The slightly older man walked around to look more closely, after peeking out the window, he started opening doors.

"Your bed is huge! I looked at the bathroom off the living room and it was badass! I could totally sleep in the tub! Hot damn!"

The orange haired man had opened the door that led into Kid's closet and gaped at its size. "Duuude! Is this a closet or another bedroom?!"

It was definitely big enough to be, the redhead had been able to hang up all of his clothes and even shove his dresser inside so he'd be able to get dressed all in one place with plenty of room. There was still a lot of storage space to be filled as well.

"Not bad, huh?" The redhead smirked at his friend.

The smaller of the twins nodded. "Far from bad, it's damn good." The orange haired man stood up and looked at his boss more seriously. "But are you really gonna be alright here, Kid? You've never been this far away for so long or so often..."

It wasn't common that one of the twins spoke like this to him. Even though Kid was the youngest of the group, he was far from being treated like the 'baby', despite how Heat fussed over him at times. They all respected and admired him, hailing him as their 'boss' and always looking to him to see what they should do next.

They were the reason why he was doing this, them and everyone else that depended on him back home. It was good to have that reminder.

Kid smiled this time and reached to gently bop the other man on the head. "Everything's going to be fine, this is just one of the first steps to getting what we want. It'll suck being separated, but it's not like I'm going to another country. And if you think I trust you all enough to leave you alone for long then those explosions have finally burnt out your brain."

Snake finally relaxed again and wrapped an arm around the redhead's shoulders. "Come on, Wire should have gotten the drinks out by now, you kept them in the fridge, right? What'd you get? It really sucks Killer couldn't make it tonight, but that's the cost of a real career, I guess."

"Yeah, it should all be in the fridge. Picked up some ale, some rum, and a bit of whiskey." Kid hid the discomfort he felt at Killer being brought up.

He'd told them that Killer had had to work, so he couldn't make it. But in reality, Kid hadn't even told Killer he'd moved yet. He just hadn't figured out a good enough story to feed him to keep the blond from digging too deep into things. "And yeah... It sucks but... yeah."

Luckily, the smaller man didn't notice the uncomfortable look on the redhead's face and proceeded to drag him towards the door to go to the kitchen, only stopping to poke his head into Kid's private bathroom, exclaiming that the younger man could have wild monkey sex in that shower with three people without touching the walls. The comment earned him a smack upside the head.

* * *

After a good bit of drinking and watching a few movies on the amazing theater system, everyone was winding down. The twins were passed out on the carpet that they said was as comfortable as a mattress and Heat was quietly watching one of his favorite TV shows, something about a story book town.

Kid was sitting indian style across from Wire playing blackjack in the comfortable seating area. He liked the windows that enclosed the open space, he supposed it was some kind of circular sunroom or something before, but the redhead had repurposed it by putting a kind of round bed in it to lay on.

"Blackjack." Wire said, smirking as the redhead scowled at him.

"Fucking card counter..." Kid tossed in his hand of cards with a growl.

"Ah, don't pout, Kid. I'm sure Heat'll make you a snack seeing as I just won yours." The larger man plucked up the younger's chocolate bar and made a show of savoring a bite of it.

"I don't fucking pout! I'll skewer you with those damn chopsticks!" He jabbed a finger at the empty cartons of chinese food they'd ordered a couple of hours ago. "'Sides, not everyone is as good at math as you." Kid grumbled.

Wire continued to nibble thoughtfully on his newly claimed treat. "Still having problems with that? I know it's not one of your better points, but you know it's also beca-"

The doorbell rang and they both blinked, not expecting anyone else.

Kid stood up, eager to end the conversation anyway. "I'll take care of it, might be some building manager or something."

Wire nodded and packed up the cards, glancing over to see that the blunet was passed out, smiling somewhat when he noticed Heat had given the twins the pillows that had been on the couch. "I think I'll call it a night, I'm staying late at the clinic tomorrow."

The redhead nodded and pointed to the hall. "There's two guest bedrooms, pick whichever." The tall man nodded his thanks and left.

Kid grabbed the empty cartons and any other garbage laying around to throw away. Tossing it all into the garbage can as he went, he walked up to the door just as the bell rang again. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." He grumbled.

Kid swung open the door, not bothering to check the peephole. "Look, it's the middle of the night and if you have any money questions you're supposed to-"

He stopped dead and felt his stomach drop to his feet.

"Supposed to  _what_ , Kid?"

Killer was standing there, leveling the young redhead with an expectant look.

"I think we need to have a talk."

_'Son of a_ _ **bitch**_.'

* * *

Eh oooooooh, looks like Kid's in troublllle. :D Wonder how things will go...

Thank you for reading and I look forward to everyone's comments! :D


	9. Chapter 9

Kid felt a cold sweat dripping down his spine; he could feel Killer's intense stare burning into his back as he climbed the stairs leading up to the roof. He didn't even bother trying to cover up his nervousness as he knew the older man would be able to see it.

This was exactly why he had avoided telling Killer anything, even a lie. There was nothing he could say that the man wouldn't see right through.

They had both agreed that his apartment, where the others were sleeping, wasn't the place to have this conversation. Kid was beyond thankful because he really didn't know if he could deal with having to explain things to them right now. The ascent to the roof was made in complete silence. As the redhead opened the door leading to the rooftop, he caught sight of the sun just barely beginning to rise, casting everything into that almost white twilight bordering night. The peaceful breeze and the scenery below gave off an utterly serene feeling despite the conversation that was about to take place.

"Not bad." Killer had finally spoken after they both took a moment to appreciate the view. But Kid knew it by no means meant the older man was calm nor had he been distracted.

One thing Kid had always admired about the man was his outer calm, how it took a lot to rile him. Unlike the redhead, the blond preferred to keep his anger hidden and strike out when least expected, when it would do the most damage.

The younger of the two walked over to a seating area — a few chairs, some nice tables, there was even a couple of hot tubs.

He sat down heavily and waited, knowing that Killer would want to speak first, and he had no clue what to say right then anyway.

"What were you thinking?" The blond didn't wait for a reply that obviously wouldn't come. "I'm your social worker, Kid. Did you really think I wouldn't find out about anything sooner or later? I was going through your finances again, trying to figure out how to pay for college and see what kind of loans you were qualified for, see if I missed anything."

The long haired man ran a hand through his wild blond locks before letting it drop to make an odd motion with his hand; an old habit, he had once said when Kid had asked.

Most wouldn't think the rugged looking man was one of the Blue's top lawyers, if it weren't for the suit they'd probably think him just another degenerate from his personal style and disposition. But not only had he graduated top of his class from a highly reputable law school, he worked for the number one law firm in all the Blues.

"But imagine my surprise when I checked your regular account and I found another, newly opened, account with millions of beli dumped into it. I checked its records and it had been opened less than half a month ago. Around the same time you began having meetings about school..." The blond turned back around to look at the post-adolescent. "And when I went to talk to you about this, I find that, though not a single beli has been touched, you have moved into a brand new top of the line apartment."

Killer slowly approached Kid before sitting down across from him. "When I went to the building, no one was there. I checked upstairs and found that most of your things were gone. So I called Heat. And  _he_ was  _so_  happy to know I had gotten away from work earlier than  _expected_  and he hoped that I could drop by in time for the  _housewarming party for your new apartment_. I agreed, told him I'd lost the address and he gave it to me, and told him I'd probably be late, maybe not make it at all, so not to tell you to make it a 'surprise'." The lawyer snorted and Kid couldn't help agreeing that it sure as hell had been a surprise.

The blond ruffled his hair again. "And not only that, I find that you've been admitted into the most prestigious school, almost exclusively for the elite,  _without a scholarship_." The older man took a deep calming breath before speaking quietly. "I am trying  _very hard_  not to jump to conclusions right now. But Kid..." The long haired man looked up and finally locked eyes with the other. " _What have you_   ** _done_**?"

The redhead looked down to stare at his feet when he knew the other was staring directly at him beneath his bangs and dark sunglasses, curling his newly painted toenails as he thought about what he should say. "Killer..."

"Kid, if you don't tell me what you've gotten yourself into, I can't help you get out."

The younger man took a deep breath and steeled himself before speaking, turning his head to look up at the blond man. "That's just it, Killer. I don't want out and I don't need your help."

" _What_  have you gotten yourself into?" Killer asked heatedly.

"I... I've made an agreement. With a guy called Trafalgar." He felt his gut clench slightly when the older man went very still.

"...Trafalgar  _Law_?" Kid nodded slowly. " _Kid_ , do you understand  _who_  that  _is_?"

The redhead shrugged. "He kind of explained it before. Old money, big time business guy and doctor. I don't remember the rest."

Killer scowled. "That's the general gist of it, yeah. But I don't think you comprehend it fully, so let me put it into perspective. If Trafalgar Law decided tomorrow to use all of his businesses, allies, influence, and land ownership to build a country with him as the king, he would automatically become one of the top ten greatest world powers."

Kid thought he felt his jaw almost drop as he stared at his friend. He shook it off before nodding slowly. "It's... A little shocking, but I can't really say I'm that surprised..."

Killer just shook his head. "Now this agreement. What does it entail exactly?" The blond looked up when he didn't get a response. "Kid? What was the deal?"

"Is."

"What?"

"Not 'was', 'is'. It's ongoing. And... The deal is... Me." Kid was clenching and unclenching his fists, his knee was bouncing madly.

"What." The blond's voice was flat, the word more of a statement than a question. Showing that he had heard, but was distinctly refusing to believe what the other man had just said.

"Me... He wanted me... And I, uh, I said yes..." The younger man chewed his lip.

" _What_."

Kid flinched at Killer's icy tone, almost shivering from the blond's frigid demeanor. There were very few people in this world who could unsettle Eustass Kid, much less cow him, and Killer was one of the few to do the first, and the only one able to do the later.

"He, uh, he wants me, as in  _wants_  me." He refused to meet the older man's eyes while he spoke, he was afraid that if he did then he wouldn't be able to say what he needed to. "The first time I went to the school, it wasn't because the school wanted to talk to me, I wasn't even being considered for the scholarship, it was because he wanted to meet me. Said he saw something that interested him and wanted to know more about me in person."

The redhead started picking at the seam of his tank-top, it was a little chilly, but he couldn't really focus enough on the cold to be bothered by it. "He offered me a deal, he, uh, said that if I entered into a relationship with him that he would take care of anything I wanted for the next five years.  _Anything_. And he  _has_!"

Kid could feel himself becoming a little indignant. Because, yeah, he knew Killer cared about him, but this was  _his_  life and he could do what he damn well wanted. He shouldn't have to defend himself! But Kid also knew that the older man at least deserved an explanation. "It's not just money, or the apartment, or anything like that! He'll pay for my school, for  _that_  school, and any classes I want. On top of that, I get guaranteed a top of the line job afterwards. Killer, I'll be set for  _life_! Isn't that what you wanted? What you all want?"

The blond man's fists were clenched almost angrily. "Not like  _this_. Kid, you could've jus-"

Kid was standing now, feeling defensive over his decision. "Could've just  _what_ , Killer? Waited? For what? You know that this is the best offer I'm  _ever_  going to get!"

"You don't have to take the  _best_  one!  _Any_  offer would be better than this! You can sti-"

"THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER OFFERS!" Kid had snapped, not only having grown fed up at feeling cornered and at having his decisive abilities questioned, but at having everything that he had already thought of himself being thrown back in his face.

The redhead had thought all of this before, knew what his choice would make him, what it meant. But he couldn't stand hearing it from someone whose opinion meant so much to him.

"...What are you talking about? The other letters-"

"Were rejections. All of them, every single one... Killer, I didn't just go for the best offer, it was the  _only_  offer I got..."

The older man was silent for a few long moments. "That can't be right. Your scores were good and-"

"We both know my grades have nothing to do with it. Look at where I'm from. Look at my history. Look at  _me_." The frustrated youth yanked a lock of his own hair, something that had caused him more than one fight and earned him plenty of dirty looks. But despite all of that he knew he'd never dye it.

It was one of the few things he could never do.

"...You and I both knew that I wouldn't get very far when we took this route. If I'd gone... The  _other way_... Then maybe... But this is the only way someone like me would make it in this city. If it wasn't him then it would have been something else. Especially after  _that_."

They were both quiet for a moment, both knowing that the other was going over that time.

The time when the whole world had seemingly turned against Kid.

"You were acquitted... Your record was sealed..."

"Look me in the eye and tell me  _no one_  could look into it." The silence was damning.

"This is... this is the best I can do. If I want to get everything we've worked for. For everyone. This isn't just about me, otherwise I wouldn't have done it. It's too late to turn back now." Kid had sat back down while tiredly running a hand through his own hair. Though he couldn't help but feel a little relieved that someone close to him finally knew, and he knew that Killer wouldn't tell the others.

There was a heavy sound and the redhead looked up to see the blond now sitting down while rubbing his face with a hand before he looked at the younger man with exhaustion apparent in his face. Kid looked down slightly to see the man holding his sunglasses, a huge sign of frustration on the other man's part.

Kid had only seen Killer's face a handful of times, none of them had been lighthearted occasions.

"I can't talk you out of this, can I? You've already made up your mind, I can tell from the look in your eyes.  _Damnit_ , Kid." The older man sighed heavily. "Why do you have to be so damn selfish? When are you going to learn that you're not responsible for everyone?"

The redhead slowly shook his head even though he knew it wasn't really a question. "You don't have to worry about me... He's not a bad guy. At least, he doesn't act like one anyway."

The lawyer spoke tiredly. "What's he like?"

"He's not a bastard. He's polite, like, really polite. Kinda stiff sometimes. He can be a little awkward..." The younger man colored a bit. "Nice to talk to though and, uh, not bad to look at. He treats me really well.."

Killer nodded his head slowly. "Does he know that you...?"

The more awkward of the two shifted slightly at the subject. "Uh, yeah, he knows. He, um, found out when he tried making a move," He hurriedly added when he saw the other man begin to grow agitated again. "But he stopped when he figured out I wasn't, uh, experienced... He, um, put another clause in the deal, just to benefit me. He wants me to be the one to 'push things forward'. He said he won't touch me without me asking him to..."

Killer looked at him oddly for a moment, but Kid blinked and it was gone. The law barrister sighed again before rubbing his face once more. He then replaced his sunglasses which, along with his hair, took up most of his features.

"That day in the car..." Kid looked up again as the blond stood. "When you asked me if it was too much risk... You weren't talking about them, were you?" A shaky sigh escaped the older man when Kid stayed silent. "I thought so..."

Killer slid his hands into his pockets and looked out at the sun that could now be fully seen rising above the treetops. "It really is a nice view..."

Kid nodded. "Yeah. It really is."

* * *

Kid nervously ran a hand through his hair as he stood outside the door he'd been told led to Law's private study. He had gotten the call from the older man earlier, asking him to dinner and if he would like to stay the night, assuring him that the invitation was strictly platonic and Trafalgar wished for him to see his finished room.

The redhead hadn't even thought he would have his own room here, though it made sense. At the beginning, had he thought of it at all, Kid would have thought he would be staying in Trafalgar's room with him.

The younger man frowned slightly as he once again thought about the amendment. It had already been over two weeks, but so far, Trafalgar had stayed true to his word and had not laid a hand on him in a sexual manner. Kid just didn't know how much longer it would be before the older man grew tired of waiting.

But it was becoming clear that the redhead would have to make the first move.

Feeling apprehensive but bolder than before, he knocked on the door before him and opened it when a voice called out for him to enter.

Walking in, Kid looked around the room once he saw that Trafalgar was still looking down at some papers. The room was big, but more reasonably sized than the businessman's public office. There was a small seating area with windows overlooking a garden and there were shelves all around them, filled with books.

"I will be with you in just a moment." Kid glanced back as the other man spoke.

"It's fine, I'll just look around?" He phrased it as a question because he was uncertain of how the other man felt about someone poking through his things.

Trafalgar glanced up a moment to smile at the younger man. "Please, make yourself at home. I apologize for always calling you here, only for you to arrive to my working on my off time."

Kid shrugged. "It's fine, really. You head a big company right? On top of that you're a doctor, so I don't really want to think about how much paperwork you have to do."

It was quiet for a little while, Kid slowly making his way through stacks of books, most of which were medical and chemistry textbooks, and journals, occasionally stopping to poke at little statues resembling parts of the human body. The average person would have been a bit put off by the amount of morbid trinkets strewn throughout the room, but Kid just thought of them as interesting decor.

The red haired youth looked up at the sound of a laptop being shut.

"I thank you for your patience." Trafalgar stood from behind his desk and made his way over to the seating area, holding a few documents that Kid noticed had the school's emblem on them.

"I have wondered," The older man sat while watching the redhead come to him. "But have hesitated to ask as I didn't want to pry. You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but why are you working so hard for this chance?"

Kid frowned slightly, knowing he should have expected the other man would ask that question eventually, and thought over his answer carefully. After a few moments of contemplating if he would answer at all, he spoke. "I don't care about fancy shit very much and I don't give a damn about the opinions of those who mean nothing to me. But I care about my friends and the people who are supporting me."

He looked down at his short nails, missing when he kept them long. There were a lot of little things he missed doing since Trafalgar had walked into his life, like styling his hair and wearing his make up. But he didn't want to put the other man off by seeming too 'different', as Killer would have put it. "That factory I told you about, I want to open it in South Blue, where I live, to create jobs and try to raise up the neighborhood."

Kid looked at the quiet man somewhat animatedly. "Did you know, that when the Red Line Strip was first built to just get to and from the islands surrounding this one, the city of South Blue was built to help make the supplies needed to build and repair the Strip? It also gave workers a place to live with their families. The  _South_  used to be the business district and it did really well, and even if it was a long time ago, you can still find some old folks who remember it." The young man looked back down at his hands when he recalled the face of an old woman who smoked too much and drank like a drowning fish. He owed that woman a lot.

"But then the Strip was finished and repairs weren't needed as often. All the hired hands and their families went back to where they came from or somewhere else where there was more work. Factories started shutting down, apartments, hotels and even schools became abandoned, and South Blue went under." Kid shrugged. "It's not like I'm anywhere near old enough to have lost anything from it, but I'd like to see it go back to that."

The room was silent for a small time until the other occupant spoke. "That is a very admirable and noble goal. It will not be an easy one, but I would like to see you succeed and I will do what I can to aid you."

The redhead flushed to halfway match his hair at the other's words. He grumbled about there being nothing noble about it but was interrupted by the doctor.

"I did call you here for a reason though." He handed the younger man the papers he had been holding. "These are class selections, both mandatory and electives. I have already submitted your choices for your degrees and these are all the classes available to you for that purpose, along with any that may catch your eye. I'd like to go over them with you if that's alright." Trafalgar seemed to have relaxed if only slightly, he at least seemed less stiff, as he pointed out the required classes.

Kid nodded and for the next few hours, they poured over the papers and roughed out a course schedule to submit for this coming semester.

They had just finished when Penguin knocked on the door. He stuck his head in to tell them that, much to their surprise, dinner was ready. They had not realized that so much time had passed.

Trafalgar nodded, then quickly read over the selections one last time, before shuffling them together and standing to approach Penguin. "Please send these out to the school in the morning. I don't believe I will need anything else tonight, so take the rest of the night off if you like."

Penguin nodded with a grin, and left them alone after saying something about going to visit a friend and maybe taking them drinking.

* * *

"So, uh, what are we having?" Kid looked to the older man as they entered a different dining room than they had the other day. This one had a dark colored wood flooring with floor to ceiling windows that connected to a vaulted wood ceiling matching the floor.

He glanced around as the dark haired man said something about chicken and roasted vegetables. There was a long and ornate wooden table that had been pushed out of the way in favor of an equally fancy sculpted, though much smaller, table close to the glass doors he'd just noticed. But he was led past the table and through the doors to an outdoor kitchen and dining area.

Kid looked at the amazing brick oven and its adjacent features, he noted that someone had cooked recently and looked up to see another male servant. The server bowed his head once with a smile before disappearing into the mansion.

They both sat down on a comfortable lounge bed —Kid had had to toe off his shoes to climb on —with a table in the middle holding their dinner plates. Glancing around, he noticed the sun had already set and lamps were beginning to light up in response to the oncoming night.

The redhead finally paid attention to his food and smiled at the stuffed and grilled chicken that looked amazing on the bed of roasted broccoli and bell peppers. "Your chefs are really good at their job." He inhaled to take in the spicy scent of mixed garlic and cayenne with jalepeno.

Trafalgar smiled. "I hired them when I attended a party where they were catering. You should try the head chef's takoyaki. It's the best I've ever tasted."

Kid nodded and they went through the rest of the meal with small talk here and there. Eventually, they finished and Trafalgar asked him if he was ready to call it a night, the redhead merely nodding in answer.

* * *

Trafalgar escorted him through a few hallways, up a flight of stairs, and past many doors in the house. "Though there are rooms throughout the house, I only use the ones in the north wing, and less than half at that."

They eventually stopped in front of a set of french doors in a large hallway. Trafalgar drew a key from his pocket and gave it to the redhead. "This is yours. I want you to know, that while this is my house, you will have privacy and it  _will_  be respected. You already have clothes that will fit you in the closet if you wish to use them. If you don't like them, please tell me and I will have them sent back." Kid looked at the other man, not really knowing what to think about the other having bought him clothes without asking, he was a little irritated but not in the mood to really get worked up over it.

"I'll leave you to get settled in, but if you need anything," A gloved hand pointed at a door at the opposite end of the hall. "My room is just there. Good night, Eustass-ya."

The doctor leaned over to place a soft and quick press of lips to one high cheek bone. The redhead was beginning to get used to the gesture, so he managed a quiet good night before the older man walked away.

When Kid heard the sound of a door closing, he sighed, looked down at the key and then turned to open one of the doors, entering his new room.

The red haired youth stared at his surroundings as he slowly closed the door behind him. He had walked into a sitting room of sorts with a wide screen TV, couch, and small table. He walked past the entrance room and through another doorway, which he found led to the actual bedroom.

At least he thought it was a bedroom, because it honestly looked like a  _slightly_  smaller version of his apartment, the bed itself was easily almost twice the size of the one he'd let Trafalgar buy him.

Kid started walking around, opening and closing things, exploring the bathroom -it was almost as big as his new bedroom at the apartment -before finally checking out the closet.

* * *

A few minutes later, after he had gotten over the fact that the 'closet' was the same size as his apartment's master bedroom, the redhead looked through the built in storage and found some night clothes he could wear.

Trafalgar hadn't been kidding when he said that there were clothes for him that would fit well, the soft pajamas were exactly his size when he checked them. He was slightly thankful as he'd realized he had forgotten to bring anything to sleep in halfway there, so he had just planned to sleep in his jeans.

There were some clothes hanging up in the closet as well, not many but the ones that were there were well made and looked, if a bit tame, like something he'd wear.

Kid wondered at first how the other knew his size so well, but answered himself by remembering he had given the doctor his measurements for his school uniforms.

But on the other hand he did  _not_  recall informing the other man what size of underwear he wore or what kind, he thought suspiciously as he eyed the boxer briefs he'd discovered, but that was a mystery for another day when he wasn't tired.

Or freaking out.

After taking a shower, Kid had been about to put on the bed clothes given to him when he caught the reflection of his naked body in a mirror inside the bathroom. It was full length and offered him the best view of himself.

The red haired teen looked at himself for a few moments, not admiring, but speculating, trying to figure out what about him was worth all of this.

Kid knew his body shape was pretty good, it was from both good genetics and his own hard work, and aside from the occasional scar that disrupted his pale skin, he liked to think he didn't look too bad. Even if a lot of people tended to call his complexion freakish.

He focused on his hair and eyes next, another abnormality that got him targeted by more discerning assholes, but he couldn't find it in himself to despise or hide them.

Kid took a deep breath and came to a decision. The redhead wrapped a towel around himself and went back to the closet to grab a robe he had seen there, left his room, and headed for Trafalgar's.

He couldn't afford to put this off any longer.

* * *

Law was toweling his hair dry in preparation for bed when he heard the knock. He tensed slightly and walked over to his bed to slide on his yukata, the sleeves easily reaching down to envelop his hands.

Once done, the doctor approached the door just as the other person knocked a second time. This series of knocks were a bit softer, almost unsure. The dark haired man had a very good idea who it was.

Law's guess was proven true when he opened the door to reveal Eustass. He had not been expecting, however, the other to be dressed in a very thin silk robe with obviously nothing beneath. The surgeon thought it seemed a bit bold for the younger man, but held his opinion. Not that a complaint would have been made.

"Good evening, Eustass-ya, is there something you needed? I hope nothing in your room proved lacking."

The redhead's face gained a slightly incredulous expression before shaking his head. "Uh, no... No, that's not what I'm here for."

Law tilted his head slightly at the red haired youth's apparent nervousness. "No?" He himself was beginning to have something of an idea of what the other wanted.

"...I'm ready."

Law, yet again, was unsurprisingly correct.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this chapter and I hope you enjoyed it! :D Please leave a comment if you feel up to it. They always make me very happy!


	10. Chapter 10

The redhead was silent as the older man seemed to take in his statement. The doctor glanced down at something then quickly moved a sleeve covered hand up and around Kid to gently rest it at the nape of his neck.

Trafalgar tenderly tugged at some of the short locks of damp hair there before leaning forward and pressing his lips to the younger man's. Kid tried to relax as best as he could, knowing this was tame compared to what would come, and lifted his hand to nervously touch the older man's waist.

But he had just barely laid his fingers on the material of the fancy robe, when the kiss was abruptly ended and he blinked in confusion. He felt the other's bare hand gently rub the back of his head, nails scraping along his scalp in a way that made him shiver, before returning to the businessman's side.

A soft press of lips to his cheek and the doctor had pulled back into his room. "Good night, Eustass-ya, you should get some sleep."

The door shut with a soft click.

_'...What the_ _**fuck** _ _?'_

* * *

The next day, Kid was picking at the perfectly cooked rice and grilled chicken on his plate, not feeling in the mood for food in the least. He had barely eaten that morning either.

"Is there something wrong with the food, Eustass-ya?" The cause of his foul mood was sitting across from him, reading some book, Kid hadn't bothered asking what it was about.

"No." The reply was firm and abrupt, offering no opening for conversation.

The older man frowned slightly and the redhead almost wanted to say something to lighten the mood but didn't know how.

_'I mean, what the hell?'_  Was his anxious thought.  _'What did I do wrong? Should I have been more forward? Acted differently? Fuck, what if he's tired of me already?! What if I've put him through so much trouble he's reconsidering? Is he already bored?! Fuck!'_  His stomach was tied in knots and it was hard to even look at food right then. These thoughts had been running through his head since last night, he had hardly even slept.  _'If he loses interest I am_   ** _beyond_**   _fucked! Everything will have been for shit and I can kiss college goodbye!'_

What was he going to do if Trafalgar decided that the redhead really wasn't worth all the trouble like the older man had thought he was? Was he already too late? Should he have moved things faster? Maybe he should have dressed differently.

On top of his confusion, Kid also couldn't help feeling slightly insulted as well. He had put himself out there, thinking it was what the other wanted, only to be turned down flat. Why? Was he suddenly not _good enough?_  The young redhead had seemed plenty good enough for the asshole back in his office with the businessman's tongue halfway down his throat.

There was a soft sigh and the sound of a book being closed. "Eustass-ya."

Kid blinked, torn from his aggravated thoughts, and looked up slowly as he put his fork down. "...Yeah?"

"Do you know why I turned you away last night?" Silence greeted the question. "I thought as much. Please know that it is nothing that you have or haven't done. Whatever you may be thinking, it was simply not the right time. You haven't done anything wrong. Okay?"

Kid nodded slowly, but the tight feeling in his stomach still didn't go away.

* * *

By dinner time, Law had had enough of the tension between them. He had thought that he had addressed the matter at lunch, but apparently not as the younger man had still sulked dejectedly through the day.

This had not been his intention when he had turned Eustass away last night, he had only been thinking in what would be the best for his inexperienced lover.

He was appreciative of the redhead's concern that their relationship might fray without 'tending', but really, Law had gone through longer periods without sex, so a few months or even a year, while somewhat frustrating, was no need to worry. He was a grown man and more than capable of taking care of things himself until his lover was ready. Law had his own plans to gradually 'encourage' the younger man to build a more  _physical_  relationship between them.

Though Law would admit that this was a new experience for him, completely unused to as he was to caring for another in a relationship of a sexual nature, he liked to believe he was patient and had enough restraint to keep his desires in check.

So when his Eustass made it clear that he would be eating less than half of his food once more, something he was quickly beginning to understand was a sign of an ill mood, he spoke. "We need to talk. It is both because of last night and it is a conversation I believe is long overdue, but essential to our relationship."

Kid cautiously eyed Trafalgar. For as long as he had lived, whenever someone said 'we need to talk' it didn't usually lead to a fun conversation.

He mentally sighed and decided to just get it over and done with, like pulling off a bandage. "Alright, I'm listening."

Trafalgar nodded in thanks. "We have touched on the subject before, but I believe a deeper explanation is needed. We both know that if I merely wanted sex, any escort service or even a street corner could provide it and be much more cost efficient.  _If_  I even felt the need for those services, as I have not ever found myself with a lack of willing partners. I do not say this out of arrogance, but to make you understand that sex is not what I am truly after."

The teen only nodded, not really having anything to say just yet. But he understood enough to know that the man was trying to make a point.

"That being said, I  _do_  desire you, make no mistake. You are one of the most  _beautiful_  men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting." At this, Kid shifted awkwardly, his ears burning.

"I-I'm not-" He had looked down to try and focus his attention on his hands, but looked up when he heard the doctor stand and approach him.

A moment later found the slightly taller man standing over him, leaning on the table as he took one of Kid's hands into his own. "If you wished, I could go on for hours about how attractive I find you." A soft kiss was planted in the palm of his hand. "I could tell you everything I ache to do to you, all the pleasures I want to share with you. But that can wait."

Kid's hand was released and for the second time since they had met, the redhead found the powerful man on his knees. "That is not the point. The point is that I want someone in my life, someone I can show parts of myself that few or none have seen before. When I am happy, I want someone next to me that can share in that happiness."

One of those gloved hands was gently tucking a stray lock of scarlet colored hair behind his ear, while the other laid atop one of his own. Trafalgar continued. "I want someone that will not bend to my every whim just because of who I am. I want a lover who acts like a  _person_  and not a trained dog, who I could spend days with at a time and know that I will not grow bored of the same conversations day in and day out."

The gloved hand holding his tightened ever so slightly, though enough to put uncomfortable pressure on the redhead's joints. Those slender hands were stronger than they appeared. "I want someone I can trust not to sell my every private detail for change in their pockets, someone who won't try to wear the face of sincerity when at heart they are nothing more than a venomous snake."

Kid wondered, not for the first time, what Trafalgar's life must be like. The redhead could read people, and while this man was one of the hardest to read he'd ever come across, the teen knew betrayal when he saw it, and this wasn't the attitude of someone who had just been betrayed once or twice, this was a man who had been stabbed in the back repeatedly and now expected it.

The hand loosened its grip and a thumb gently rubbed over his knuckles in a seeming apology when Trafalgar must have noticed his slip in control. "I understand that you do not trust me, Eustass-ya. I cannot blame you for it, and I understand how I must seem from your point of view. I have bought and paid for your company, like one would any professional companion, and I understand how that must make you feel when I think about it. I am a man who is used to getting what he wants in the world. I live a life where money and power talk and few argue."

Kid tensed only slightly when the dark haired man leaned in until their foreheads rested together. He could feel the other's warm breath on his face as his voice dropped to almost a whisper. "I must admit that I am unapologetic about the means I have used to reach this moment, regardless of their amorality. Because it has gotten me you. A passionate, independent young man with drive and integrity, one who continues to fascinate me every day. You have no need to let the fear of my losing interest influence you."

They were so close now that Kid could feel Trafalgar's lips brush his own as they moved, eyes gazing straight into the strangely fixated stare. "Eustass-ya, I want someone in my life to intimately share it with, and I desperately want that person to be you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank all of you for the comments and kudos! I read and love them all! :D 
> 
> NightShade2017 "Are you continuing this story? I really can't wait for the next chapter since you sucked me in since the first chapter. It seem like killer has something in his mind about kikd's love life ;p. I really can't wait for Law's and Kid's reactions next chapter!!!!"  
> (Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! :D)


	11. Chapter 11

-rides in on the back of a painted white donkey and wearing a hat stolen from Cavendish- Hello all my beautiful reviews! Tis I! I have come to grace you wonderful day! -falls off 'horse'- As always, beta'd by the magnificent Mai Kusakabe!

Hehehe, sorry for keeping everyone waiting again. It really is a 'waiting game' huh? X'D Would you believe I didn't think of that pun when I first named it? Cause I honestly didn't.

Thanks to all you wonderful readers here on AO3 for reading my story! :D

One Piece does not belong to me... -rides away crying on the back of my white 'stead'- Shit fuck where's the breaks! Mai-chan help me!

* * *

Kid was curled up on his bed back in South Blue, having wanted to see his friends and sleep in his old lumpy bed, despite it being nowhere near as comfortable as his new apartment's.

The redhead's hands were busy with twisting copper wires into a coiled ring, then pulling it apart to make something else. It was a little thing that he liked to do when he was thinking.

Trafalgar Law. A man who, to Kid, just kept becoming more and more complicated. Every time he was given a peek of what went on beneath the man's exterior, ten more layers just seemed to slide in its place. It was to a point that he wondered if he was actually being let in closer or further entangled in the older man's web.

A lot had been revealed to the redhead yesterday with the man's attempt to clear the air between them, but he was sure that everything but the slip when the man spoke of betrayal was nothing the other didn't want him to know. It was hard to trust someone who was able to control himself so well. The doctor's ability to deny himself sexual gratification was startling, Kid couldn't go a week without jerking off, so he had no idea the amount of willpower it must have taken to turn him down.

While the older man's elusive agenda irked him, Kid supposed he really didn't need to know everything about the man to do what he was being paid to. He frowned when he twisted one of the wires too far and the metal weakened enough to snap.

Though, despite everything the doctor had told him, one thing was still unclear to Kid. Not once had the older man come out and told him what it was about the redhead that made him so irresistible that he would go so far to have him.

Kid scowled when he snapped yet another wire, butchering the little metal horse he was making, and finally tossed the scrap to the side into a bucket next to his bed and rolled onto his back.

Trafalgar's words had changed things a little, but not by much. It meant he could relax a bit more around the surgeon instead of walking on glass.

But the scarlet eyed teen wasn't about to risk opening himself up to the other any more than he already had about his life. He doubted the man would even like his style, especially not the more casual side of it.

Though Trafalgar wouldn't have been the only one to 'question' the redhead's fashion choices.

Kid scowled. ' _If I get asked if I'm colorblind one more time, I don't care if it's a joke, I'm kicking someone's ass.'_

And with that thought, he turned off the lamp on the bedside table and turned over to go to sleep.

* * *

Law sighed as he watched his driver scramble around with the engine. Though the doctor knew little about how cars worked, he could tell that the man knew even less.

On top of that the man seemed to balk when ever the businessman offered to try and help or call someone, which was honestly becoming very annoying.

Perhaps Penguin was right and it was time he let the man go and find another driver. He, of course, employed more than one, but he couldn't in good conscious pile all the responsibility on one driver.

Law twitched when he heard a loud bang and the man swearing. Having had enough, he texted Penguin to come and collect the car and that he would hail a taxi. He couldn't help but make an offended noise when his friend sent a reply questioning if his boss even knew  _how_  to hail a cab.

Of course he could, how hard could it be?

* * *

_'What the hell is this guy doing?'_

The cabbie had just stopped to grab a drink after unloading his last group of passengers. Now, as he bemusedly sipped at his slushie, which he noticed they had given him a sour blue raspberry slush instead of a regular but, eh, oh well, he was watching this poor sap in the million dollar suit trying, and failing, to flag down a cab.

_'Oh, that's just sad.'_  It had looked like the man had a bit of luck only the taxi was just slowing to make a turn.

The redhead wondered if anyone had told him that taxis with dimmed lights meant they were off duty or full and with it being rush hour...

Probably not. The guy didn't look like someone who needed one very often.

Having had his fun watching the guy wave futilely at passing cabs, the red haired driver adjusted his sunglasses as he thought he had better help the man out before he ended up mugged for his shoes.

Or groped. For real, the man was hot enough to scorch the sidewalk and was only improving as the cabbie drove right up to him.

The door to the backseat opened immediately.

"Thank you for stopping, I am very grateful." Holy shit, the guy even  _sounded_  upper crust, the kind that probably bathed in cash instead of water.

"No prob! Where to, my good man?" The redhead was already crossing his toes for the hope that the man was headed for the business end of town or the airport. Even the shortest route was a good twenty minutes either way, though like hell he'd take him directly there.

The cabbie's grin widened happily when he heard that his passenger was headed all the way to the North Blue  _residential_  district. That was even better. Hell, he wouldn't even have to 'give him the tour'.

"No problem, no problem at all! Name's Shachi and I'll be happy to take you wherever you need to go!"

* * *

After only a few minutes, Law had garnered key bits of information.

One, his driver, a hatted and sunglass wearing redhead with a...  _vibrant_  personality and equally colorful opinions,  _loved_  to talk. However, despite the man's near rapid fire questions and comments, Law was not annoyed, and the doctor even found himself chuckling at times.

Secondly, Law had formed a sneaking suspicion, which was confirmed by the seasoned cabbie when prodded with a few questions, that his soon to be former driver had been taking not only the scenic routes but by far the longest way to and from Law's home and office.

If the doctor cared enough beyond his irritation, he would have considered billing the incompetent man for the amount of gas alone that his most certainly  _former_  driver had cost him. Law didn't need to be an expert at current gas rates to guess the amount the fool had cost him in the last year alone was staggering, certainly not something he couldn't afford, but Law was not loose with his assets.

The surgeon was very pleased with the change in scenery, and company, as the cabbie stated that they would arrive in less than hour to Law's destination, maybe a little more if traffic was bad. Half the time it normally took the businessman to arrive home.

The dark haired man switched between working on his tablet and speaking to the jovial man in the driver's seat, occasionally gazing out the window at the unfamiliar sights they passed.

Currently, they were in a small traffic jam. A truck containing fruit or something had turned over in the road, officials and some civilians were placing things back in order but it would be a while.

While the cabbie rambled about different kinds of fruit he had been thinking of trying, Law would occasionally add his two cents about which had the most health benefits and which he personally preferred, citing his expertise when the man became curious about Law's occupation, the doctor caught a barrage of color moving on the sidewalk out of the corner of his eye.

Law, out of curiosity, looked up and promptly froze. His heart skipped a beat as his eyes made contact with the moving form of Eustass Kid.

Only the redhead looked quite a bit different than what Law had taken for normal. The mesh of odd color choices and near flamboyant clothing was almost hypnotic as his eyes glued themselves to his charge.

The red haired youth's hair was pushed up by a pair of goggles that contained all but the more stubborn locks that managed to escape the hold. The surgeon suddenly had the need to see the other pinned beneath him, to follow the small flashes of alabaster skin, hinted at beneath artistically ripped and sheer black fabric that somehow matched the odd yellow and black patterned cotton pants the redhead sported.

He wanted to untie the blue sash holding them up with his teeth, use it to hook through the golden bangles on those pale wrists and secure them to his headboard, watch those bare arms stretch upwards obscenely as the movement accentuated the redhead's form, then slowly pull down the loose pants just enough to-

Law quickly swallowed down the images for another time.

Once his head had cleared, Law kept his gaze raptly fixated on his charge's form as though if he were to blink the redhead would disappear or the doctor would lose him in the crowd, however unlikely that might be.

"Shachi-ya, was it?"

"Ha! Just Shachi, my good man." Law didn't have to turn to see the grin on the driver's face in the mirror to know it was there, the man seemed to be able to convey his infectious personality through his vocal cords alone...

"Very well. Shachi then." He didn't have the time to argue with him and thought it best to simply indulge the other man. "Might you be able to tell me where that rather colorful group of young men are headed to?"

Law was determined to follow Eustass and see what other exquisite details and pieces he had been missing about his seemingly straightforward yet puzzling lover.

Shachi glanced out of the corner of his peripheral at what had caught his passenger's eye. Then snapped his head around at such an alarming speed that Law swore he'd heard something pop and feared the man would have whiplash. He mentally made a note to recommend a good chiropractor before departing.

"Holy shit that's Eustass  _KID!_  What the hell's he and his crew doing this far north out of South Blue?!"

"South Blue?"

Shachi seemed to pull himself together before turning a wary and somewhat appraising eye on Law's person. It was perhaps the third time in his life that Law had been looked at in such a way. Like he was being weighed for his worth, not for his money, his status, or name, but for his worth as a human being. The last two who had looked at him in such a way had been a close friend, long ago, and, most recently, Eustass.

He had the sudden feeling he'd be getting that look a lot more in the near future.

Whatever it was the energetic driver saw in him, he seemed to deem him at least passable.

"Yeah, that's Kid's crew." He nodded towards the youth in question. "The scary as hell and sexy fellow redhead being Eustass 'Captain' Kid, he heads the crew."

He nodded towards a somewhat taller ghostly blunet standing closest to Eustass. "The one with blue hair and strangely sexy ass stitches is Heat. And the giant with long ass black hair and antennas is Wire, he's Kid's second."

If he hadn't spent the better half of his life around others with far more towering statures, Law would have been slightly in awe of the blatantly intimidating man with a thick lock of black hair framing each side of his face. Though, unlike those he was familiar with, who rarely used their height for intimidation, this man seemed to use it like a weapon. Glaring down at anyone who looked at them, much less Kid, sideways.

"The two knuckleheads about to brawl are Snake and Spine." Indeed, it looked like the two similar men, Law idly wondered if the two were brothers as their features were too similar to be anything but, were about to tackle one another and grapple right there until their leader snorted and said something that sent the two down on their knees an clinging to each other for support, laughing too hard to stand properly and earning a smirk from Eustass.

"The rest of 'um are pretty much just hangers on and not worth mentioning. But anyway, they're from South Blue, live on a pretty big street. It's pretty nice for a place in South Blue. Minimum graffiti, ain't none of the windows even broken, kids actually play out in the street, people smile. Damn nice. They run that shit, and rarely ever stray far from it..." After glancing at the traffic to make sure it wasn't moving forward any time soon he turned in his seat and draped an arm over the upholstery to speak to Law more properly.

"To answer your question, from this angle, it looks like they're headed for Shakky's, Shakky's Rip Off Bar that is. It's just I've never heard of, much less seen, them being this far north before. Wonder what that's all about."

Law personally knew the most probable reason, as he was the one who was providing the young redhead's accommodations, but he wanted more information.

"From the sound of it, perhaps they are attempting to spread their infamy in order to claim more territory, so to speak?" Surprisingly all this got was a disbelieving snort from Shachi.

"If it was any other crew you'd probably be right and I'd be packing my shit  _tonight_. But not those guys." Law was intrigued to hear a note of soft respect in his escort's voice. "Those guys ain't like all those other good for nothings who don't give a shit about anything but clawing their way up as far as they can in 'that' worthless world until they get their's from the next just as shitty wise guy." Law remained silent at the personal experience that rang in the voice of the previously jovial young man.

"Those guys? They're going somewhere far up alright, but it ain't gonna be in 'that world'. They give a fuck about where they come from and though it ain't much they don't forget those that helped them get as far as they have. Instead of just trying to get the hell out, they're trying to make things better, course they ain't no saints but they're decent, ya know what I'm saying? Which is more than you can say for most. They got their shit straight and watch the backs of whoever's got theirs."

He went quiet as they both watched Eustass knock the possible, Law still wasn't quite certain, brothers' heads together after the two had come near to blows yet again, then both comically clung to Kid's legs seemingly to beg for forgiveness, which the redhead obviously granted if just to get them off of him, only to have them profusely fawn over him to his embarrassment, covered poorly, in Law's opinion, by anger.

In the end, Heat walked over and flicked them both behind an ear each, which caused the two to flinch and give the previously trapped redhead enough time to shake them off.

Shachi chuckled at the show.

"And unlike all the other punks and shit talkers around here, Kid ain't interested in expanding territory or investing in illegal business. Him and his guys keep to themselves and don't go causing any unnecessary racket. Stand up guy as far as that kind goes, though still not the kind you just walk up to ta say hello, ya know? Kind that'll knock your teeth down your throat if you don't come correct. Don't take no bullshit and won't suffer no fool."

He paused as some poor idiot bumped Eustass' shoulder and thought he could just keep walking without even looking up from his phone, only to slam face first into the daunting Wire, who, by the looks of the man's face Law would say, nearly made the man wet himself when he looked up to apparently complain.

The seemingly frightening man looked like he was about to say something only to look up at Eustass, who had just started walking again, and after one last glare to the office worker that made the man drop his overly expensive coffee, continued after his leader.

Law quietly commended him on his devotion and ability to follow his leader's cues.

"He ain't cha average muscle head neither. Guy's got a good head on his shoulders and ain't ruled by the one between his legs, ya know what I'm saying?" Shachi suddenly got this excited look on his face. "I even heard a rumor Kid's getting himself a college education! Gotten into a real good one too! Kinda inspirational shit you only see on TV, ya know?!"

Law looked back out the window to see the teen begin to turn the corner with his motley crew of followers and everything suddenly clicked.

At that exact moment Law saw not the endearing sexually insecure ambitious boy trying to make something of his life, but the man that boy could become, the one who already WAS something.

He finally saw what he'd been waiting for, the pure primal potential in those eyes that had first caught his interest from a piece of flimsy paper of an application of what would have been just another college hopeful.

He almost cursed aloud when his dick was suddenly harder than the diamonds in his Rolex.

"Yes. Yes, I think I do."

There was a honk from behind them that snapped Shachi's attention back to their surroundings, and he put the car back into gear. Another honk had his head thrust out the window yelling obscenities at the other car, something about their mother, a hamster, and what he believed was a rather colorful insinuation to place a body part up an orifice necessary for day to day life to a rather long extent, which Law didn't quite think was physically possible but was none the less highly amusing.

Law took one last look out his window, confirming his Eustass was out of view, before leaning forward in his seat at the same time he removed his cell phone from the pocket in his suit jacket and dialed a number he'd long since memorized.

"My apologies. There's been a change of plans."

* * *

"Uh, okay?" Shachi was confused by the sudden change and a little weirded out by the intense look his passenger had directed after the group that they had just been discussing.

If he hadn't known better he would go as far as to say that the dark haired man was-

The redhead blinked at the sudden appearance of a cell phone in his passenger's gloved hand, something he'd wondered about but didn't ask as he believed it wasn't any of his business how others dressed. He watched the doc's thumb rapidly punch out a number without even glancing at the screen.

The cabbie eyed the other curiously when the man brought the phone to his ear and started speaking.

"It's me, I need some- no, I do  _not_  need another damn recommendation for another kitchen remodel! I need to know what information you have about a club, 'Shakky's Rip Off', I believe." The redhead nodded faintly when a glance was directed at him. " _No_ , I'm  _not_  inviting you for a damn pubcrawl, I prefer my kidneys fully functioning."

_'Why's he wanna know about that? Does it have something to do with Kid's crew?'_  Things were going so fast that he felt dizzy as fuck.  _'And where did a posh guy like this learn to say shit like that?'_

With a long suffering sigh and a heavy eye roll, the man nodded despite whoever was on the other end of the line being unable to see it. "Yes, fine, fine, I will come for lunch next week, make sure to keep your animals on their leashes. I am tired of having to explain all the food stains to my staff."

_'What the fuck is going on?'_  The poor cabbie felt completely out of the loop.

"Stop being a pervert, what does it matter what I'm wearing?" The businessman proceeded to eye the phone with contempt, as though if he glared hard enough, the person on the other end would burst into flames. "I refuse to dignify that with a response, you fucking unnecessary _waste_  of genetic material. But if you're so eager, I can arrange an appointment for a extended vasectomy... Without anesthesia."

_'Vasecta-what!?'_  Shachi almost whimpered as his knees squeezed together.  _'Who the hell is this guy? Is he some kind of high end gangster?! What kind of doctor says this kind of shit?'_

There was a pause, the person on the other end most likely speaking. The businessman took the time to adjust one of his gloves as he listened before talking.

" _Thank you_  for your cooperation an-" The doctor frowned and tilted his head as if contemplating something. "That sounds... reasonable. I will-" He sighed as though the conversation was weighing on his last nerve. "Leave that up to you.  _Please_  do not abuse this... opportunity."

Shachi almost jumped when his passenger's gaze suddenly fixated on him. "May I ask what our current address is, Shachi-ya?" The seemingly automatic switch to politeness when speaking to the cabbie was a little... scary, but the redhead quickly spat out their location and it was relayed none too sweetly by the doctor.

A scowl appeared on the businessman's face. " _Of course_  I don't speak that way to you. And I will provide more information when you arrive." Without a goodbye or anything, a button was pushed and the call ended.

* * *

The still slightly dizzy and currently feeling very overworked cabbie was calmly sitting on the sidewalk and sipping his watered down slushie, trying to pretend he couldn't see the monstrosity of a vehicle not ten feet from him.

_'I need some time off, I've seen and done a lot of shit as a cab driver but this takes the cake and eats it too.'_  The hatted man thought, adjusting his sunglasses.  _'Though the tip makes up for it...'_

He looked down at the cash he was still clutching in one hand, continually checking to make sure it was really there.

When the posh looking guy climbed out of his car and offered to pay him so he could go, saying he could get a ride with his 'acquaintance', Shachi just had to let his consciousness get the better of him. The redhead was unable to just leave the guy waiting for who knows how long in a not so perfectly safe neighborhood and had said he would just wait with him. The doc thanked him and asked if Shachi would mind taking him to the aforementioned club, promising to pay double the rate for the added trouble.

A few minutes later, a vehicle, at least that's what Shachi tried to think of it as, had pulled up and a door had opened. The polite yet kinda sketchy doctor had placed a couple  _hundred_  bucks in his hand, apologized and asked him to wait, then climbed into the ride with one of his hands in one pocket, slamming the door closed.

There were a few loud bangs and alarming sounds, but after a couple moments it got quiet and Shachi had started getting antsy when the doc emerged.

_'Holy fuck.'_

The cabbie stared, gobsmacked, at the man before finally standing and approaching the car when his passenger opened one of the doors to the backseat. Shachi spoke without really thinking.

"If you're going there, you probably shouldn't wear those, the gloves I mean. It might give people the wrong idea..." The last thing the redhead wanted was to hear that the guy he dropped off had gotten pounded because the man looked like he was up to some shit and didn't want his fingerprints on anything.

The dark haired man looked down at his hands like he'd just realized he was still wearing them, then smirked and did one of the sexiest things Shachi had ever seen.

He trapped one of the gloves' fingertips between his teeth and pulled. "Very well. If you will, I have a 'date' to get to."

* * *

Kid sighed, happy to be out with his friends after so long, but disgruntled at the amount of people crowding them, knowing they just wanted to be seen rubbing elbows with one of the south's hardest crews.

The guys had thankfully distracted them all and were currently entertaining the vultures after they felt their leader getting antsy at being overcrowded. Kid had gotten up from their booth and went to get drinks, nearly snapping at someone when they tried to grab his hand and offer to go with him in a none too subtle way of flirting.

Kid had gotten a little more... used to the idea of someone looking at him in  _that way_ , but he still didn't really know how to  _deal_  with it. So he kept to his usual responses when something made him uncomfortable, which were get pissed off and confrontational.

He was moving through the dance floor, halfway to the bar, when he felt two arms suddenly encircle his waist from behind, trailing fingers through the rips in his shirt over his belly in a way that made the muscles there clench at the light touch.

A flash of embarrassment filled him, followed by a white hot rage at the thought of someone thinking they had the fucking  _right_  to just touch him like that, as there was no mistaking the gesture as possessive.

Kid tore himself from the hold, it was easy as the arms released him readily at the slightest pull, and he whirled, ready to crush in the face of whoever had been fucking stupid enough to touch him without his consent.

The redhead froze at the sight of the face he had been about to punch, the anger forgotten almost instantly, chased away by utter shock.

"...Trafalgar?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! But I hope everyone enjoys this chapter as much as they have the others!

Kid just stood there in shock, not fully registering that Trafalgar was actually there or that the other wasn't wearing a suit, he could only really focus on the fact that he was standing in front of the businessman in his street clothes and he suddenly felt like he'd been caught doing something wrong.

Panic rushed through him, then the thought of being insulted or rejected for simply being himself filled him with indignation, and, despite the fact that the other had not said anything yet, went on the defensive.

"What the fuck are you looking at? If you have-" He was cut off by the feel of hands on him, breath hitching as fingers once again traced the tears in his shirt.

The older man was suddenly very close, pressed up against him and his face tilted slightly downwards to look at him, a hand tugging on the sash holding his pants up. "I always felt like you were holding back, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine you quite like this."

Kid took the older man's words as an insult and growled, and tried to pull away roughly. "If you've got a damn problem with how I fucking live _my_ life in _my_ free time you ca-"

"The only problem I have, Eustass-ya, is that I haven't seen you like _this_ sooner." The dark haired man emphasized 'this' by trailing his palms down the redhead's sides in a smooth stroke, causing Kid to shiver. "I'd like to talk more, how about we get a drink?"

Kid blinked and the surgeon had released him, turned on his heel and started walking towards the bar. "I insist on paying, it's the least I can do for taking up your free time."

Free time. His mind suddenly flashed to his friends and the redhead hurried after the older man. "About that, my friends are here-"

"I know. You must know our meeting here is not a coincidence. I admit to passing your group on the street while in a taxi and decided to follow you here. I didn't want to infringe on your private life, but I couldn't resist getting to know you better."

The younger man was quiet for a moment, slightly disgruntled with himself for not thinking of the prospect that they might run across each other while in North Blue's limits, Kid had thought that he was far enough in the lower end of the city that he didn't run the risk of being seen by anyone important.

"Oh. Well, they still don't know about," He gestured with a hand to the two of them as he walked next to the doctor. "This. So, I don't really know what to say if they see us talking..."

"I understand, just say that we met recently involving school and have been hanging out lately. You won't be lying. You're free to tell them whatever makes you feel comfortable, I won't be offended." The redhead nodded in thanks.

Kid's gaze then caught on something shiny and he felt his eyes widen at the sight of two thick gold hoops hanging from pierced ears.

"When did you- your ears..." They stopped at the bar and Trafalgar threw an amused look over his shoulder.

"If you mean my piercings, I already had them. I'm just not able to wear them often due to work. Those I must often associate with are quite old fashioned I'm afraid."

Kid was stopped from replying by the arrival of a bartender who took their orders. The red haired teen was surprised that the other actually ordered something, albeit from the top shelf, it was still surprising, considering what the older man must be used to.

The surgeon ordered a tall glass of whiskey with some kind of shot, and when their drinks were brought to them he proceeded to toss it back like it was water, washing it down with a quarter of the whiskey like he was taking a sip of fruit juice.

Trafalgar ordered a second shot, same as before, while Kid still sipped on his long island ice tea. Then the redhead spotted something that made him nearly drop his glass.

It took a moment to find something to say that didn't make him feel like an idiot. Every time he thought he was getting a grip on dealing with his benefactor, the man threw him for a loop. "Nice ink..."

Kid's eyes traced the bold lettering on the older man's knuckles, almost chuckling at what they spelled out. The idea of being operated on by a surgeon with 'death' marked on his fingers, well, he didn't know if he would be scared shitless or feel like he was in good hands.

"Ah, yes." The fingers fanned out, palm flattening against the bar top to give the younger man a better look while the other hand busied itself with bringing the second shot to the businessman's lips. "The lettering is a somewhat recent addition, they're not totally complete, I still need to do two more fingers on this hand." He sat down the empty shotglass to wiggle the long fingers of his right hand. As he said, the ring and little fingers were bare of any ink.

Kid turned his sights to the backs of those hands and then the older man's bared forearms. The tribal tatts somehow suited the man he was slowly coming to know more about. Though he was admittedly appreciative of more than the tattoos...

The tight black shirt Trafalgar wore hinted at a musculature that the redhead would never have thought a businessman like the other to possess, the fabric clinging to the hard curves of the doctor's chest and stomach, making the teen wonder just what exactly the man looked like without-

"Would you like a blowjob, Eustass-ya?"

Kid choked on the liquid passing down his throat, sputtering for a moment while the other raised an eyebrow with a slightly mischievous look. "Are you alright, Eustass-ya? I just wanted to know if you would like to try one." He waved his hand at a shot that looked a little different than the ones he had been drinking.

"Um, is that what you've been having or?" The dark haired man shook his head with a soft smirk.

"I've just had a Screaming Orgasm. Would you like me to give you one of those as well?" The look on the surgeon's face told Kid he knew exactly what his words sounded like.

Instead of answering and possibly embarrassing himself further, the redhead just took the two shots and drank them one after the other, both going down surprisingly very smooth.

The teen licked his lips thoughtfully, the taste of cream, coffee, and almond mixing together, leaving a sweet aftertaste to give camouflage to the strong alcohol.

It left his tongue feeling warm and heavy as his eyes wandered down to the long fingers tracing the rim of the glass of Kid's own drink, watching a fingertip dip lightly into the liquid and retreat to be licked clean between the lips of the older man.

"You look distracted..."

Kid looked up to find they were much closer than he remembered. A hand placed itself lightly on the small of his back, lips suddenly brushing the shell of his ear. "Would you like for me to leave, Eustass-ya? We can speak later, you don't have to do anything you don't feel like. I can leave now, you can go back to your friends, and we can see each other tomorrow. Otherwise..."

The hand on Kid's back was now doing more than laying there, fingers finding and gently massaging the knobs of his spine. "There's an empty booth over in the corner right now where we can... 'talk' as much or as  _little_  as you like. In private."

The younger man let his red eyes slide closed for a moment, thinking carefully about his answer before opening them again. Kid turned his head to rest his own lips carefully against one pierced ear. "I think I... wanna... 'talk' more."

After an excited nip to the redhead's ear, Trafalgar quickly tossed back the remainder of his drink and grabbed Kid's before entangling their hands together and leading them to the chosen booth.

It was in a corner and dark enough for what they had planned, no doubt a spot numerous couples and hook ups had used for the same purpose.

As soon as Kid slid into the back corner, the surgeon placed down the drink and followed him. One inked hand cupped the side of his face before a soft mouth pressed carefully against his own, just lips smoothing across his, a tanned hand rested lightly on his own paler one, a thumb drew teasing circles along fair skinned knuckles.

After a moment of frustrated waiting for things to progress, Kid realized that the doctor was waiting for him to take the first step.

Cautiously, the younger man opened his mouth slightly and moved a hand up the darker skinned flesh of the man's arm, pausing to run his fingers lightly over the tattoos there. Suddenly, Kid wondered if there were more, and if so, where.

The inked skin felt different somehow and the redhead wondered what it would taste like.

Trafalgar wasted no time in gently prying open his mouth with a clever tongue, taking the time to explore and taste the younger man's lips, the redhead let out an embarrassing sound when he found just how sensitive lips could be.

* * *

Law was thrilled with the slow but eager pace, his partner's hesitant but earnest attempts to explore were both heady and endearing.

He let a soft sigh escape him to encourage the inquisitive fingers gently combing through his hair and began to coax the redhead's tongue into his mouth, intrigued by the taste of the red lipstick his lover wore and almost he smirked when he felt it begin to smear slightly.

Law was careful to let the inexperienced youth set the pace, mirroring the places touched on his own body and going no further than the boy seemed ready to. Though the surgeon almost hissed in triumph when he felt a hand smooth over his chest and a curious tongue extend itself into his mouth. While the surgeon was content to let the less experienced of the two set their pace, it didn't mean he couldn't try to tempt the other.

Law began to trace patterns and lightly rub the skin that peeked through the rips of the younger man's shirt, sucking and nipping the wet muscle between his teeth. He found that the spinal knobs just above Eustass' waistband, when kneaded in just the right way, induced sweet almost silent gasps that sent a bolt of euphoria directly to his cock.

But after catching one of the younger man's nipples between his fingers and gently scraping a nail over the fabric covered nub, the doctor felt the redhead's hips begin to move in a familiar motion, seeking friction for the obvious bulge tenting the loose cotton pants Eustass wore. It admittedly gave a very nice outline and made it obvious his charge wore nothing beneath the clothing.

Law gave one final nip to the painted lip between his teeth before pulling back, pleased when his younger lover tried to follow him with a dazed expression.

"Eustass-ya," The dark haired man sighed and pushed some of the other's slightly damp hair out of his face, the boy's goggles having slipped down slightly at some point from the high position on his forehead. "I believe that's enough for now."

The bewildered look on his Eustass' face was adorable and made the older man want to disregard his own words. "We have to stop. Otherwise you may soon find yourself with a- ah- 'problem' not easily remedied. Wet pants are very uncomfortable, after all."

Law saw realization dawn on the teen's face, followed by a glance down and those pale features, made even paler by the use of dark eyeliner and the smeared lipstick, turned a brilliant shade of red that matched his equally red hair and now kiss swollen mouth.

The doctor was pleased to note that almost all the makeup staining the youth's mouth was now either gone or smeared thinly around the other's mouth. Though he wouldn't be surprised if he should look in a mirror and find his own mouth to be equally red for similar reasons.

Law watched Eustass nod his head a little too quickly. "Thanks."

"There's no reason to thank me, I'm only doing what should be expected in the situation." After all, it would be poor taste to take advantage of his inexperienced lover in the other's eagerness and then leave him with the physical embarrassment of their 'activities'.

The older man smiled, the softest expression he had made since entering the club. "But really, I should thank you, Eustass-ya. I'm very happy that happenstance brought us if only a bit closer." He squeezed the fair skinned hand he held in his own, enjoying the flush of the younger man's features.

"Now, I'm going to go and freshen up. I believe it best you stay until... You are 'calmer'?" The redhead nodded again, somewhat subdued by their exchange.

* * *

Kid exhaled heavily once Trafalgar left his sight. ' _Holy fuck. If things are like this every time, I think I might be the youngest person to die from a heart attack.'_

He shifted in his seat and subtly adjusted himself until he didn't feel as tightly restricted as before. He grabbed a napkin from the pile on the table before wetting it with his tongue. The redhead pulled his goggles down around his neck and finger combed his hair back into something resembling normal as he tried to rub away some of the smeared makeup from around his mouth.

"Nice piece of ass you got yourself there, 'Captain'."

Kid's head snapped up and his eyes narrowed dangerously when they caught sight of the man before him. The thin and sketchy looking man in front of him gave a sleazy grin when he noted he had the red haired man's attention.

Kid snarled. "Who the fuck are you? No, wait, I don't give a fuck. Crawl back into whatever shithole you came out of, maybe steal some better clothes on the way."

The man scowled for a moment, but it quickly turned back into a grin. "I see you finally managed to net yourself a prime piece. Looks kinda high maintenance though, the type that'd complain 'bout a hang nail. Real  _fragile_ , those types."

Kid felt his hands clench into fists as the sleazy fucker pulled up a chair to sit at the table like he had every right to be there. "Say what the fuck you want or get out of my fucking face."

"We haven't met, but I know about you. Some of our men have made previous 'offers' of friendship recently."

The teen frowned for a moment before faintly remembering Wire saying something about some drug peddlers trying to push their shit in the neighborhood. The twins and some of the locals had left the men somewhere on the outer limits of the city block.

A day later, another asshole showed up offering a small take of whatever they were trying to sell, someone like that would come around every couple of weeks with different offers, only to end up the same way as the dealers. Which was with broken faces and smashed hands.

But what really made the teen begin to see red, was that the pieces of shit had recently started targeting the working ladies from their neighborhood, shaking them down for 'protection' payments.

"Look, I don't give a shit about whatever you're selling. Stay. Out. Of. My.  _Fucking_. Streets. The next one of you I see will come back in pieces." Kid grinned murderously for added effect. He knew how his appearance affected people when he got... excited.

The man seemed nervous for a second before regaining whatever confidence he had, though it seemed shakier than before. "A-ah, well, such a shame. Our boss had hoped we could come to a mutually beneficial agreement. Mr. Krieg can be  _very_  generous."

The redhead snorted. ' _Yeah, right before he burns down my place with me in it.'_

"Though I have reason to believe you'll be much more... receptive now."

Kid raised a brow, quickly becoming bored with the conversation. He could tell that this guy was just another errand boy and no one to worry about, so his hostility was dampening. Squashing insects really wasn't that amusing to him.

"Ya know, rumors about you always said you were a bit of an enigma. No one knows what it is you  _want_. You're not into drugs, you don't go out of your way to expand territory, never kept any lovers, you don't buy or sell on the 'market'. Hell, other than the fact you've sent more men home looking like they've been in a wreck than a major highway, everybody seems to say you're a stand up citizen."

All the shithead's confidence suddenly seemed to come back in a rush. "But now you've gone and taken an interest in  _something_. Like I said, nice piece of ass. Where'd ya find him? Ya see, the only problem I got with high end tail like that is that they can't really handle the 'rough stuff', ya know?"

Kid was starting to get an inkling of what the man was driving at and felt his anger begin to rise again. "...Leave."

"But what for? Just giving you some advice to keep a close eye on what's yours. It's a dangerous city, ya kno-" The last word didn't make it out of his mouth and not because the angered teen had just lunged forward to wrap his hand around his throat.

Blood poured from the wound on the man's shoulder. A high pitched whimper escaped the shithead as he made to stand, panicking, when he was pushed back down into his chair.

"Oh  _my_ , that looks bad. Please, let me help. I'm a doctor."

The faces of both men at the table snapped up to see the newcomer. Trafalgar was smiling with an almost eerie politeness.

"You are quite lucky, the cut looks like it was very close to severing the deltoid branch of your thoracoacromial artery. That would have bled profusely before sending you into a hemorrhage. A few stitches should do. Unfortunately I do not have any anesthesia on hand, but you look like a sturdy fellow, surely we can do without. It will only be twenty or so stitches after all. I can sew it up without incident. Just hold still for a moment..." A slight shine of something metal in the other man's hand was all it took for the errand boy to recoil in fear of the manic surgeon, tearing himself away and bolting from the club.

The doctor frowned slightly. "What a jumpy man, I honestly believed one of his... character, would be used to a little pain due to foolishness."

* * *

Kid was staring at the older man like he had never seen him before.  _'...That was so fucking hot.'_  He almost cursed when the erection that had faded started making a comeback.

Trying to distract himself, he interrogated the man. "So what the hell did you do? Where'd that cut come from? All I saw was your hand move, I think..."

Trafalgar's expression smoothed into something more genuine as he smiled at the redhead and moved from where he had been blocking the view of their table. "Ah, I tend to carry certain things with me at all times for multiple reasons. One of which is this." A small flick of his wrist revealed the previously hidden scalpel that had apparently been concealed by a well placed thumb holding it against his inner arm.

The doctor grabbed one of the napkins on the table and wiped the slightly bloodied blade before pocketing both medical tool and napkin.

Trafalgar frowned at something while Kid continued to talk. "...Ya know, when I think about it, there's really not much I know about you. I don't think I'll try to find out tonight though," The younger man was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol setting in. "So just know that I'll want answers later. If you feel like giving them."

Kid knew that he wasn't owed an explanation and understood when someone didn't feel like talking about themselves. He watched the older man nod as he took a napkin and placed one immaculate heeled boot on the recently vacated chair to wipe off a speck of blood.

"I will explain in the future should you wish to know. You will find that I am open to sating any curiosities you may have." A small smirk was directed towards the teen.

The red haired youth grumbled something under his breath and turned his face away to hide the heat rising there.

The surgeon pulled out his phone and glanced at the time. "You've been gone for quite a while, well over an hour in fact, do you think your friends will be looking for you?"

Kid tensed for a moment but then relaxed. "Nah, they know I probably won't come back to the table much while it's crowded. It should be winding down over there about now though, so I should go back soon... You wanna come?" He asked tentatively.

The tattooed man seemed thoughtful. "Are you sure? Have you thought about how you will explain me to your friends?"

The redhead shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. "They won't ask upfront, so I'll have time to think something up. Might help if we bring some drinks though." He got up and started walking back towards the bar, Trafalgar following close behind but standing further away than before, most likely so they wouldn't attract any more curious eyes.

"Do you think they'll go easy on me if I pay for the next round?" The older man was obviously teasing but also clearly wanted to make a good impression.

Kid chuckled. "The twins will love you and if you get a few of those shots for Heat, he'll call you his best friend." Wire would be the one to watch for though. None of his 'brothers' were stupid, but they would cut Trafalgar some slack cause they trusted Kid's judgment. But the oldest of the group always took everything with a grain of salt.

"But if you wanna get buddy buddy with Wire, the long dark haired one, then bring up the fact you're into medicine. Though..." He turned curiously to look at the older man as he waved down the bartender. "When I think about it, you look a lot younger dressed like this... How old  _are_  you exactly?"

The businessman looked at him with amusement plain on his face. "I will be twenty-six come this October." The other laughed at the face the younger man suddenly made.

"You're only  _twenty-five_?!" Kid's jaw had dropped and he was staring at the surgeon. "How the hell are you a doctor?!"

Once the older man had calmed down enough to talk, he spoke. "Ah, yes. I have been called something of a prodigy before. I graduated from high school at age twelve, passed my medical exams and obtained my doctorate at eighteen. Then studied in business and law school until age twenty. I have just recently finished a PHD in Pharmacology."

Kid felt a headache coming on at how dizzy the sudden pile of information was making him.

"Out of curiosity, how old did you  _think_  I was, Eustass-ya?"

The teen shifted uncomfortably as a tray of shots and a bottle of the bar's best whiskey was placed in front of them. The redhead didn't want to possibly offend the other, but also didn't want to lie, something he tried to avoid doing whenever he could.

"Well, I kinda thought you were thirty something." He quickly tried to justify his misconception. "But  _early_  thirties and it's just you were always wearing suits and you always talk all formal and shit that I-"

Laughter interrupted him and he was patted on the shoulder. "It's quite alright. You wouldn't be the first to assume me to be older than I am. Actually, I used to consciously try to look older simply so I would be taken seriously. I guess the habit just stuck."

Kid relaxed slightly at the other's words and picked up the tray while the doctor took one of the shots for himself, sipping it instead of shooting it right away.

They made their way back to where Kid's group was seated. Like the redhead thought, the crowd had thinned to nothing and they could finally relax and talk among themselves without extra ears to worry about.

"Captain! Check it out!" Snake pointed at Spine who was currently balancing an empty shot glass on a chopstick that was sticking out of the mohawk sporting man's mouth. Heat sighed at the two brothers and was snacking on a plate of nachos, he was slightly sweaty so he must have just gotten back from dancing.

The largest of their group had his eyes fixed on the newcomer at Kid's side, unapologetically scanning the dark haired man in expensive looking clothes. "Captain." Was his only greeting.

"Guys, this is Trafalgar. This round is on him." He placed the tray at the center of the table and reclaimed his chair, gesturing the doctor to sit next to him.

"Hell yeah, blowjobs and orgasms all around!" Mischievous grins plastered on the mohawked brothers' faces as they yelled happily, completely unashamed of their manners as the two slammed down shot after shot. The blue haired man hissed at the incorrigible pair and rescued some of the glasses from their destructive path, taking the time to taste them appreciatively before nodding to the new person at their table in thanks.

Kid glanced out of the corner of his eye at Trafalgar, looking to see if the other was put off at all by the general shenanigans of his group. He was relieved but surprised when it seemed that the dark haired man was completely used to this type of behavior. It begged the question of where exactly the man would get used to something like  _this_.

"Pretty expensive this." Of course, Wire had left the shooters to his friends as he claimed a few empty tumblers to slowly pour the prime bottle of whiskey. "Single malt, aged."

The large man placed a glass in front of Kid and the newest addition to their table before lifting the glass to take a long look at it, then took a long drink. "Not bad at all."

The redhead knew the man was happy to have some of his favorite kind of alcohol, but also knew that the expense was raising questions.

To the older man, expensive gifts of any kind were the result of four things; having a great deal of money, wanting to impress, the softening of bad news or the opening to a request.

Trafalgar nodded. "I prefer scotch or bourbon myself, but this particular brand is very smooth and compliments this." He placed down his empty shot glass among the equally empty 'victims' of the twins' rampage before lifting the whiskey tumbler to his lips for a slow sip. "I admit that it is not something I cannot afford."

Wire nodded once before turning to Kid. "So... Any interesting story behind how you two met?"

The redhead kept his eyes studiously on his own glass. "Met him at school..."

This got Heat's attention as he looked up curiously from his snack. "But school hasn't started yet, right?"

Trafalgar seemed to see that the younger man was struggling, so helpfully supplied an answer. "We met during his interview at the school. We spoke."

Kid nodded. "He didn't seem like your usual stuck up asshole so we kept in contact. Lives in North Blue too."

The surgeon nodded.

Wire seemed to take that as enough for now and just sat back to enjoy his gifted drink.

From there everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, welcoming Trafalgar into the group readily enough.

Heat complimented the other man's boots, saying he had noticed them when they first approached the table. The dark haired man had thanked him and inquired politely about the other's stitches.

"Came from an accident when I was a kid," Heat waved off the surgeon's attempt to apologize for his question. "It's fine, I decided a few years back to own them and even got some ink to match." He gestured to the barbed wire tattoos around his neck and arms.

"Speaking of ink," Spine piped up. "Those are bad _ass_!" He pointed out the doctor's marked up hands and arms. "Where'd you get'um?"

Trafalgar shrugged. "Here and there. A friend of a friend does the outlining and I get them filled when I have the time."

"Got any others?" Wire asked with detached curiosity.

The businessman smiled mischievously. "I do. But you would have to be the one buying the drinks to get to see them so soon, Wire-ya. Dinner would not go astray either."

The larger man snorted. "So much work though."

"But worth it." The tattooed man smirked, clearly enjoying their playful banter.

Snake suddenly popped back over to their table, having left at some point to get something. He sat down and placed a large beer mug next to a small shot of whiskey in front of the older man, before placing two of the same in front of himself.

"Have a boilermaker with me, Traf!" Trafalgar's eyebrows promptly shot up at the use of a nickname but nonetheless brought the two glasses of varying sizes closer to him.

"And what is this?" The more flamboyant of the two brothers was more than happy to explain.

"It's pretty simple. Ya drop the shot of whiskey in the beer, then it'll make a lot of fizz, then ya start chugging! Careful you don't chip a tooth though!" He cackled and dropped his shot into his mug quickly but carefully before swiftly drinking it down, finishing half of it easily.

One dark colored brow raised higher at the demonstration and he seemed to contemplate it for a moment before following the other's lead. Instead of stopping at just half, however, the posh looking man downed the entire thing.

"Hell yeah!" Kid grinned as the twins hooted joyfully at Trafalgar's none too easy feat, Heat chuckling at the group's antics. The oldest of the gathered men just smirked in a relaxed state while he continued to enjoy his malt liquor.

Kid patted the doctor's back when he coughed slightly after finishing the drink. "Nice job. And you two," he turned to look at the still hollering pair. "Lay off of 'em for the rest of the night, he had like eight shots before we came over."

He may have been exaggerating slightly but figured it would give the overly excited party animals good reason to back off.

The two agreed and started a silent competition between themselves at which one could steal the most chips from Heat's nachos before getting stabbed with a fork, who had taken to always having one when he ate for this exact reason.

Heat was diligently defending his food and occasionally a yelp from one of the twins would be heard, answered by the other cackling in victory. The blue haired man eventually sighed when his chips were cold and soggy, pushing them to the side for the younger men, who felt bad and got a large order for the three to share. Trafalgar kept a steady supply of shots coming to their table much to the trio's delight.

* * *

At last, the bar announced last call as it was just about four o'clock in the morning and, after a round of water for the group, they left.

All but Wire stumbled slightly out of the building, fully feeling the effects of the alcohol. Heat had enough of his head together to wrangle the twins and keep them from running off somewhere, which, according to the blue haired man, was a habit they had for some reason, like they were kids on a sugar high.

Wire spoke to Eustass and found that he would be returning to his apartment, and that Law would be sharing a taxi with him since they were both heading in the same direction. The redhead promised to call as soon as he made it home and vice-versa.

The taller man patted the younger man on the shoulder and wished him a safe trip before herding the other three towards the bus station, nodding to Law as he went.

The doctor walked more closely to Eustass once the redhead's friends were out of sight, lightly resting one hand on the small of the other's back. "You keep good company."

Eustass grinned proudly. "Yeah, they're good people. They can worry too much, and sometimes they can be a pain in the ass, but their hearts are in the right place, ya know what I mean?" The slightly shorter man was much more relaxed around the doctor than usual. Though the alcohol most likely played a large part, Law liked to think that this night had brought them closer.

"Yes, I do. I usually experience much the same."

Eustass nodded. "It's good to have people you care about and vice- vice- whatever that word is."

"Vice-versa? Yes, it is."

The younger man just nodded.

Law frowned when they approached an intersection where cars drove past. He was just about to offer to call a cab to be sent for them when the redhead stepped close to the curb and stuck his arm out.

A taxi stopped for them and the doctor stared for a moment before being dragged into it by the other man, while said redhead told the driver where to go. ' _Is there a taxi language or something I simply don't speak?_ ' He couldn't help but be slightly miffed.

Law's thoughts were interrupted when he felt something lay on his shoulder and he looked over to see red hair, finding himself being used as a pillow, the doctor couldn't help but smile slightly. Not wanting the other to move, he made sure to stay as still as possible during the ride to his Eustass' apartment.

And if he took slight advantage of the passed out man by lacing their fingers together and burying his face in the younger's hair, well, who was there to tell?

* * *

Once they arrived to their destination, Kid was gently shaken awake. He blinked blearily as Trafalgar paid the driver and pulled him from the cab.

He followed the older man inside the building, stumbling slightly on the way. They encountered the crazy landlady who just smirked and patted him on the back, saying she'd bring up one of her hangover tonics tomorrow at noon.

Maybe she wasn't such an old witch after all.

The thought was immediately struck from his mind when she teased that she'd bring a hotpack for his ass too.

' _Witch._ ' Kid thought as he was tugged along to the elevator, making sure to flip her off as he went. He was only answered with insane cackling.

Once they stumbled into his apartment, Kid made to go to the bedroom but instead he was pushed to the bathroom. He had grumbled but had then realized that he really did need to piss.

He was handed a bottle of cold water when he exited and now that he wasn't feeling quite as sleepy as before, the redhead plopped himself on the couch, pulling off his clingy shirt but then frowning at the cold of the room. The shirt may have been sheer but the material had kept him somewhat warmer than this.

Kid blinked when the comforter from his bed was plopped over him and there was another source of heat next to him.

He looked over to find that Trafalgar had covered them both up before turning on the TV. Still feeling a little less inhibited than he normally was, he pressed closer to the other, leeching the older man's heat.

He fell asleep to the soothing feeling of fingers running through his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews and kudos are my writing fuel owo Feed the writer? 
> 
> Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. ;D Oh, a question I would like to ask my readers for their opinion on (leave your answer in your review please!). I plan on writing some short omakes (for those who don't know what that is, it is kind of a scene written that doesn't make it into the story, think of them as 'deleted scenes') and adding them to the end of short chapters? What would everyone think about that? :D
> 
> May your Muse be inspirational and your Plot Bunnies carnivorous


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY for this super late update! Life has been crazy :'D But I hope this makes up for the long wait! Now, without further ado, please enjoy this chapter and I'll see you at the bottom! ;D

Law was laid back in a lounge chair next to the pool, sipping a dry martini with his eyes closed. He brought it down to rest on his bare stomach, idly flexing his toes to feel the movement of the loose cotton pants he wore.

Last night had been a long one, though much more enjoyable than his usual all-nighters. After waking up at a little past noon and cleaning up the apartment a bit— the boy seemed every bit the typical teenager when it came to putting clothing in its proper place- Law had left a note saying he had business to attend but would see him later, placing a bottle of cold water next to it.

He had been somewhat amused before leaving, as the redhead had curled up in a ball much like a cat beneath the covers on the couch with only a single pale foot and red locks peeking out from the blanket, residing in the spot Law had vacated.

After making a few calls and arranging some business, he had taken the liberty of not going into work for the rest of the day, choosing instead to doze next to the pool and do paperwork in bed that night.

The dark haired man heard footsteps approaching, but recognizing the gait, chose not to open his eyes.

"Well, don't you look comfy, doc." Law could only curve the corners of his mouth upwards into a slight smirk at the plain envy he heard in the other man's voice.

"Please, don't let my presence keep you from relaxing, Penguin. Something tells me you desperately need it." He absently waved to the mini-bar close by.

There was a deep sigh of relief and the surgeon heard a soft rattle and the clinking of glasses.

Law finally opened his eyes just in time to see the hatted man sit down across from him in another chair.

"I take it that things did not go smoothly?" He referred to the withdrawal of employment from his now former driver.

There was a loud and exasperated scoff. "Are you  _kidding_  me?! That's putting it lightly! That dumbass sure as hell isn't getting any recommendations from us."

Law's brows lifted in faint interest and apology. "You have my condolences, had I known he would be so difficult I would have sent Jean." Many seemed to become much more... docile when in the presence of his secretary.

Penguin sighed and shook his head. "Nah, it's nothing to bother the old guy about, I'm just complaining. The guy wasn't too difficult, I've had worse, but he's just such a pig-headed  _jackass_. Do you know what he was doing in his off time?!"

Seeing that an answer was not actually required, Law remained silent but gave a curious quirk of his brow to indicate his interest.

"All those damn times he was supposed to be out getting the cars detailed or tuned up, he was cruising around for chicks to pick up, saying the cars were  _his_  and claiming he  _lived here_! Told me this shit and then he acted like I was supposed to let him keep his job just so he could keep up the lie to his girlfriends. That's right, girl _friends_! Who I sincerely doubt know about each other." The overtaxed man took a long drink of the rum and coke he had made himself. "He's been going the long way around to your work and everything to find good spots to pick up girls and shit."

Well, Law could certainly see why the other was so stressed. The man was remarkably easy enough to get along with and even tempered, but he did  _not_  suffer fools in the slightest.

"And get this! I got suspicious and checked out some of the cars, yeah? Turns out the bastard doesn't know a damn thing about cars, he's been cutting corners and taking them out to buy cheap replacement parts! That little sonuvabitch has cost you  _millions_  of beli! You're just fucking lucky that you only broke down, some of the cars' parts were so shoddy I'm surprised he didn't get you both killed! I told the little fucker that he wasn't even getting a severance check and to be thankful I don't have his ass thrown in jail."

Law frowned, understanding perfectly now why the other was so stressed. Having to deal with fools was one thing, but Penguin was very loyal, any threat to someone he cared for was taken as a personal threat to himself. Penguin did not take threats well.

The hatted man finally sighed. "I'm just sorry it didn't work out, I know the old man was the one who recommended him."

Law waved it off. "It was more of a request than a recommendation. According to Tonjit, the boy's cousin married into the family so it was a favor for a relative. He's apparently never had a liking for him but he felt an obligation as family to at least help if he could. You know how he is. He also knew I needed a new driver once he retired so it seemed like a decent enough fit. Now he has fulfilled any sense of obligation and the young man has only himself to blame."

Law made a note to call the old man at some point today, no doubt the other would hear of how the boy had been fired soon and try to apologize for the young man's behavior, Tonjit was always considerate like that. Though he wouldn't say no to some of his wife's baked goods being sent over, the kind old lady made the most delicious bonbons from scratch.

Perhaps he could take them with him as a present to his Eustass... The red haired man seemed to have something of a sweet tooth. He knew that if he mentioned it, the old woman would be delighted to make extra for 'his beau', she was often on him to find someone.

"Penguin, take the day off. I won't be needing anything today and I'll give you an advance payment. Don't try to say no." He said when the hatted man opened his mouth to refuse. "You should go see your friend, I know you often worry about him."

The other man reluctantly nodded and Law spoke once more. "You've been doing a lot for me lately, I appreciate it, Pen. You are one of my best mistakes." He teased.

The blond man removed his hat to ruffle his own hair with a grin. "You still haven't learned how to tip properly, have you?" A smirk was shared between the two before they both relaxed together to finish their drinks.

"Still," Penguin sighed. "It's going to take a while to find another driver, interviews and all that crap."

There was a light chuckle and he turned to look at his boss questioningly.

Law just smiled.

* * *

Wire had just gotten off of a ten hour shift at the clinic and eaten some leftovers of what Kid had cooked for him the other day, the redhead always wanting to make sure that the older man had a half decent meal after work.

The younger knew that if he let him, Wire would go to bed and eat nothing until the next day, and there had been enough arguments between the two about it that the dark haired man had had it ingrained in his brain to eat something even after a long day.

Today, it had been more than just work on his mind. Whenever he wasn't busy his thoughts just drifted back to the same subject; back to Kid's 'new acquaintance'. Wire was hesitant to call the man a friend, Kid didn't have many friends, not outside the neighborhood, and this was the first time in years that the redhead had introduced them to an outsider, and from North Blue no less.

The last person to have been let that close to home had been Killer, and that was going on eight years ago now.

So Wire was naturally curious about an obviously well off man who looked so comfortable in a setting that didn't seem to suit him, in spite of the ink that only seemed to add to the enigma. The way he talked, the quality of his clothes, his manners, how relaxed he had been with paying a  _substantial_  tab at the bar; everything about him just screamed money.

' _So what the hell was he doing with Kid?_ ' He frowned.

He knew people from different circles of society interacted all the time, it wasn't that. Wire knew he was probably thinking about it too much, but to him, when someone showed up out of nowhere, obviously from a walk of life vastly different from their own, and was willing to throw money around and had made every effort to be friendly... Well, it just screamed to him that  _something_  was off.

He hadn't talked to Heat or the twins about it; Heat would stress and the twins would wave it off as him being paranoid. Wire  _trusted_  Kid, but sometimes the boy got himself in trouble when he thought he could handle something but couldn't...

Their 'Captain' had a long history of bottling up his troubles until things blew up in his face, so the older man had become more... sensitive to Kid's behavior for that reason.

It also wasn't helping that  _something_  was familiar about Kid's new drinking buddy, and it was driving him insane when no matter how hard he thought about it nothing clicked.

The dark haired man sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands, getting up from bed where he had been trying to sleep. He wouldn't get any rest until he had done something to ease his mind.

Or give himself a real reason to be worried.

He walked into his living area with its TV, pull-out sofa, desk, and not much else. Striding over to the desk, he turned on the computer resting on it. It was an old model but still pretty decent, having bought it cheap at a garage sell over in West Blue, but he usually only used it for research and such for work.

Right now though, he needed it for something just a bit more important.

Once the machine had gotten fired up and running, he thought about where to start. In this age, you could find anything on the internet, and something about everyone.

For now, he started on some popular social networks, and frowned when entering the man's name brought up nothing. It was a unique enough name that there weren't even unrelated search results.

Wire was irritated now; hell,  _he_  had a few accounts on some public sites. The twins may love to tease him about his age, but, hell, he was older, . Though he barely used his accounts, he had them all the same, just like everyone else he knew.

"Alright asshole, let's try something else." He went to his main search engine and tried typing in the man's name again.

Jack-fucking- _pot_.

"What the  ** _fuck_**?!"

* * *

Wire glanced up when he heard the bus stop and frowned when they announced they had reached his destination and rose to get off, frowning the entire time. He was annoyed that he had been so absorbed in his own thoughts that he had zoned out for most of the ride.

Ignoring the strange looks he received from the other passengers, a few old women clutching their purses and some high school kids that gawked at the huge man, he stepped out onto the sidewalk, the doors shutting behind him before the bus left. The dark haired man stood there for a few moments, enjoying his surroundings.

It was so rare he got the time to leave the concrete jungle of South Blue, though lately he seemed to be doing it more often since their 'Captain' had gotten the apartment in this small town of East Blue bordering North. The park in front of him was clean with spacious carpets of grass, all the flower bushes trimmed and a modest playground not too far away, and in the distance were nice houses a respectable distance apart. By South standards it looked like a dream.

But if - _when_ \- Kid's efforts paid off, it wouldn't seem like a faraway dream anymore. It would become a reality they could touch with their own hands.

Wire sighed deeply, pulled his head out of his thoughts and started walking towards Sakura Apartments.

The dark haired man paused in the open door just as he had been about to enter into the lobby of the apartment complex, eyeing the woman standing at the counter talking to the receptionist, a good man named Dalton, who Kid said worked there part time when he was off duty as, surprisingly, the mayor of the small town.

From behind, the woman had the kind of body West Blue models would weep for, all tight curves and sleek hair, with some obviously strong legs that went on for miles. But as she turned to see who Dalton was looking at, it became apparent she was older than her figure would lead one to believe.

"Ha! One of the red haired brat's friends come to visit? You're in luck, he just got back! Grocery shopping, I think." The deep wrinkles around her mouth and face showed she had lived many years, and from the laugh lines around it looked like she had lived them well. She scratched her hooked nose idly. "Wire, isn't it? The boy told me your names after I almost brained you and your friends last time. Name's Kureha, call me Doctorine. Anything else and I'll finish what I started then."

The words had been spoken light-heartedly but Wire had no doubt she was fully capable and inclined to carry it out. "Got it."

When he and the others had first arrived for Kid's house warming party, the twins had tried to poke around before Heat could wrangle them. The two brothers had gotten a face full of pissed off old lady who they had apparently woken from her nap.

Wire supposed it didn't help that they weren't exactly from around here and Kid had forgotten to put them in the guest book so they were expected, so for all the inhabitants knew they could have been a bunch of drunken punks looking for trouble.

Luckily, Heat had gotten her attention with a nice bottle of rum and a quick explanation of their presence. Though the blunet had done nothing to stop her from kicking both of the brothers in the stomach when they addressed her as 'granny'.

Now, after a brief exchange of words and some cackled instructions to tell the 'brat' to have dinner with her and her son next week, Wire went up the stairs to Kid's apartment.

When he got there, the redhead looked surprised for a moment.

"Oh. Hey Wire, didn't know you were coming." The younger man waved him in before going back inside.

"Expecting someone else?" Wire asked lightly, following the other to the living room.

"Hmmm. Maybe." Kid shrugged, a slight frown on his face.

"Trafalgar, right?"

The question caused the redhead to stop walking, an inquisitive look aimed over his shoulder. "...Why would you say that?"

Though he tried to hide it, and did so well, Wire knew the signs indicating when Kid was nervous. And the redhead hadn't said no. The older man knew that Kid would never flat out lie to him or the others with the exception of two reasons; if their lives depended on it or if Kid believed it was what was best for them.

' _Like that time..._ ' If the red haired teen thought for a second a lie would protect the group, he'd say whatever he had to. But what reason could he have to not be open about something like this?

"You've been acting off ever since you got accepted by that school. I've let it lie because I thought if you needed to talk, you'd come to one of us. But the other night was the last straw. Kid, you  _never_ introduce us to other people and then have them stick around, except for once, and that was Killer. I did a little research." He flopped down on the couch, still frowning. "Do you have any idea who that guy is?"

"I know enough." The redhead grumbled and sat next to him.

"Then what the hell, Kid? What's going on?" Wire wasn't usually a man to push someone he cared about for answers, but he couldn't help feeling frustrated this time. Because he couldn't let what happened _then_  happen again. He wouldn't. "There's no way you meeting this guy was as simple as you made it sound. If you're digging yourself into something big, you  _need_  to tell  _someone_  about this so they can drag your ass out if you get in too deep."

"I have." Kid looked up, locking eyes with him. "Killer knows everything."

The larger of the two stared at the red eyed teen, taking in every detail of his expression, posture, and looking for any signs. He was telling the truth.

"Killer knows. Well that's something at least." He relaxed a bit more into the couch then looked down at his hands, voice turning soft. "Hey, Kid? I won't push anymore, but when the time comes, if you need help... don't push us away? Not this time..."

Kid watched him evenly before nodding. "Okay."

Wire knew that was as good as he was going to get, so he didn't say anything about how the other was smoothing a thumb over the frayed edges of one pocket.

The way he did when he lied.

* * *

Kid was quiet as the taxi stopped in front of the steps of the mansion, having spent the ride there thinking about his encounter with Wire. Not long after the older man had left he had gotten a call and an invitation from Trafalgar to spend the night.

The redhead didn't like keeping things from his friends, hated it, but knew he couldn't be completely open about some things with the group. He knew that if he told them everything that was going on, that their first instinct would be to try and protect him, and if they tried to talk him out of the contract... he was afraid he might listen.

He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before getting out of the car, nodding to the driver as he closed the door. The cab had been paid for in advance so the driver didn't stick around and sped off.

He ran a hand through his hair, only held up by his goggles, and shifted the strap of his bag onto his shoulder, full of whatever he would need for the weekend. One big plus to having learned more about each other was that Kid felt more free to dress how he pleased; hair, clothes, makeup, and all.

So he was more than happy to ditch the stiff jeans for soft dyed cotton pants.

This would be the first time he'd see Trafalgar face to face since the night at the club a few days ago. The encounter had left the red haired teen with a number of mixed feelings, followed by an odd disappointment when he had woken up alone the following afternoon. Kid wrote it off as just having hoped to talk to the other more.

It had nothing to do with how he may have still been able feel the other man moving against him from the night before.

When he reached the doors, he was met by Penguin. "Good to see ya again, Kid." The other man then waved for the redhead to follow him.

As they walked towards Trafalgar's room, the hatted man didn't show any surprise at Kid's sudden change of wardrobe and made no remarks, leaving the younger man feeling more relaxed.

"I'll be leaving as soon as you get settled in, but if you need anything Law can get it for you."

Kid shrugged. "I have everything I need, I think. If not, I can get it myself."

They stopped at the door and the other turned to him, suddenly resting a hand on his shoulder. "Look, Law  _wants_  to do stuff for you, it makes him happy, so relax. It's not like anyone's going to judge you when it's just you two here. You're not handing over your man card just by letting someone be nice to you, don't worry so much."

Penguin patted the teen on the back before he stuck his head in the room and called out to let the doctor know Kid had arrived, then drew back and waved the redhead on ahead.

' _That's easy for him to say_.' The younger man sighed mentally but walked inside.

"Well, I'll see you two tomorrow, have a good time. Law's really been looking forward to this." The valet grinned at the younger man, turned and left with a backwards wave.

Kid took a deep breath, preparing himself, for what he didn't really know, and entered, closing the door behind him. It took him a moment to figure out where exactly the doctor was before he heard the older man call out to him that he was in the library.

This was actually the first real time he had been to Trafalgar's living space, not counting when he had 'visited', so he took his time walking through the bedroom, which with its second story loft could probably eat his new apartment, and into different areas.

He had gone through a doorway into a sitting room almost twice the size as the one in 'his' room, down a hall past a set of glass french doors that looked to lead out into an enclosed garden and two other closed doors before finally finding the 'library'.

What he expected to be full of the usual sets of old books and things like he had seen in the older man's office was instead a much more relaxed atmosphere. The shelves he passed seemed to hold more recent novels, mostly fiction and other things geared more toward entertainment. Hell, there was even a wall full of vinyl records.

The surgeon was currently facing away from him at a desk and the shuffling of paper could be heard.

"Still working?" The redhead asked.

Trafalgar jolted slightly and turned around to face him, an almost flustered expression appearing on his face. "Ah, no, actually. This" He waved a stack of papers at him, "Is actually a list of some films, television shows, and other things I have heard of, but have never had the opportunity to see or try. I was hoping you would perhaps pick one or two of the films for us to watch together?"

Kid just stood there for a second, not having expected that. He thought they would just have dinner and talk like usual, but it looked like the other had actually made some plans. "Oh. Sure."

"Of course, if you do not feel like it I completely understand, or if there is something else you would like to do, or perhaps you would like to go out, I know a number of places I think you would enjoy an-" Trafalgar stopped talking suddenly.

During the pause, the teen was struck with the realization that while the dark haired man knew how to get reservations at any fancy restaurant or plot out a day of extravagant shopping, he probably didn't know much about how to plan a normal evening with someone just watching movies.

Kid wondered what the doctor's childhood must have been like for him to not know how to act in a situation like this.

"I apologize, I am rambling." He looked slightly uncomfortable with himself, his hand making a motion to pull at a glove that Kid noticed wasn't there, leaving only long naturally tanned skin emboldened by ink.

"No, it's fine. A movie sounds great." The redhead smiled slightly, wanting to ease the nerves that seemed to be putting the usually stoic man off balance. It was nice to see the other was really only human. "Really."

His words seemed to have the desired effect and the doctor slowly settled back into a more familiar expression. "Ah. Good." The older man finally took note of Kid's more relaxed state of clothing. "You look comfortable."

' _The way he's acting, it's almost cu_ -' He mentally slapped himself. He hadn't really looked at the other properly because of Trafalgar's... unusual behavior.

The redhead smoothed a hand over the black t-shirt and wondered if he had dressed down a little too much, but then he realized that the high end clothes the man was wearing were really just pajamas, no matter how nice they were. "Uh, thanks, I guess. You said we were staying in so I, um-"

"I didn't mean your clothes, ah... I'm not doing well with words tonight, am I?" The dark haired man's smile was self-deprecating. "What I meant was...  _You_  look more comfortable. More like yourself now."

Now, it was Kid's turn to trip over his own words, shifting in place and looking down at his feet to distract himself from the heat rising in his face. "Uh, I gues- I mean, yeah, um, I am."

There was a short silence before the tattooed man almost shoved the small stack of papers at him. "The movies, or we can watch a marathon of some show, whatever catches your interest. You can look them over, while we talk."

The red haired teen looked up, clutching the papers now so they wouldn't fall. It also gave his hands something to do. "Talk?"

The older man seemed to relax a bit. "Yes. It's not anything to be worried about, more of a question. Shall we make ourselves comfortable first?" Trafalgar motioned in the direction Kid had come from, moving forward when the redhead nodded. "We can sit in the main room, it's where we'll be most of the night, I think. Are you hungry? My chef prepared some snacks and a meal before he left for the night, I could go get them if you are."

Kid was going to say no, not wanting to be an inconvenience, or say he could get it himself but recalled what Penguin had said to him. Scratching the back of his head, he eventually let hunger win out. "Actually I kinda am, if it's not too much trouble. I'd get it myself but I'd probably wind up lost for a week and need a search party to find me."

The younger was now following behind the surgeon as he led them easily back to the two story bedroom and up the stairs to the loft. "It is not a problem at all, I won't be long."

The doctor left him there as he went to grab the food. Kid just shrugged off his coat and draped it over the back of the couch before sitting down. The couch itself was different from any of the other furniture the man owned, what he had seen anyway. He ran his fingers over the short fur and heavenly plush material, personally liking the black spots.

While Trafalgar was gone, Kid looked around for a minute, taking in the black walls, the close ceiling, and stainless steel coffee table. Across from him was an elaborate entertainment system with one of the widest flat screens he'd ever seen hanging on the wall across from him, and throughout the room were small speakers for surround sound.

' _I bet if I watched Jurassic Park in here and cranked the volume to the max it'd be the fucking shit._ ' He smirked slightly at the no doubt envious looks he would get from the twins if they knew.

Not that he'd probably ever be able to tell them without explaining a hell of a lot or coming up with some elaborate lie, something he wanted to avoid if possible.

' _Wonder what he wants to ask me_...' The redhead latched onto the curiosity in an effort to not think of things he couldn't do anything about at the moment.

He sighed and kicked off his boots, making a short game of aiming them across the room, grinning when he managed to land them next to each other in a reasonably organized form.

A few minutes later, Trafalgar announced his return by the way of a growled curse. Kid looked behind himself with amusement through the iron rails that wrapped around the loft. He could see the older man pulling a wheeled cart into the room, but the wheels themselves were not cooperating due to the carpet. There was a clatter followed by another curse as something must have fallen over on the cart.

Kid got up to help and made his way down, unable to hold back a teasing smirk. "Need some help?"

"Perhaps," Trafalgar was smiling, seeing the humor in his situation. "I have finally discovered why Penguin and those before him have always carried any meals in instead of using this." He gave the cart a light belligerent kick.

The redhead snorted but couldn't help be a bit flattered if this was the first time the doctor had made the effort to do something like this.

"Well, between the two of us, we should be able to bring it up ourselves. Are there any trays?" The younger man glanced through the shelves of the cart and hummed as he found some on the bottom shelf along with silverware and napkins.

As Kid held two of the trays, one on each arm, Trafalgar carefully stacked them with some of the less spilling dishes before taking the largest tray for himself to carry the rest.

Halfway up the stairs, the redhead could have sworn he heard the other trip, but when he quickly glanced back to check, the dark haired man seemed just fine if a little tense for some reason. ' _Guess I'm really not the only one who's nervous._ '

Once they were settled and the food was spread out on the coffee table with the dome-looking lids laid to the side, Kid looked at what the other had brought. There was some sushi off to one side, a plate of takoyaki, a couple of fancily cut up and seasoned whole potatoes, and what looked like some kind of- ' _Fries maybe_?' He picked up one of the fried sticks curiously, subtly sniffing it.

"Do you like calamari?"

The redhead tossed a glance at the doctor. "Cala-what now?"

"Calamari." The doctor watched him with a faint smile as the younger man took a bite, the smile widening when the red haired teen hummed happily at the taste and took another one. "Fried squid tentacles."

Trafalgar burst into laughter at the incredulous look on the boy's face as he stared at the half eaten squid, eyeing the white meat inside of it. After only a moment's internal debate, Kid just tossed the rest in his mouth.

"Tastes good." The redhead stated and sat the large plate in his lap. He had eaten a few more when he vaguely wondered what they would taste like with ketchup.

The surgeon smiled, the laughter still dancing on his face. "I'm happy you like it." He gestured to the plate of takoyaki. "Do you like them? I recall you knew what they were but I forgot to ask if you cared for them."

Kid shrugged. "Never actually tried them, I only know about them cause Heat used to talk about eating them at his old neighborhood as a kid and wished there were more places that sold them around where we live. We buy some from a restaurant in West Blue for his birthday every year. But it's a bit expensive so we make sure he keeps it all to himself when he gets some."

He was grinning fondly as he remembered the first time they'd been able to really celebrate the blunet's birthday. They still hadn't been able to afford much, but they'd walked all the way to West Blue in search of a restaurant that made them, taking the only bullet train to get back quickly so they'd still be good.

He, Wire, and the twins had blown what money they'd had at the time, only Wire old enough to work legally, but it was more than worth it to watch Heat smile, cry, and try to eat at the same time.

"You are more than welcome to take some home with you, the dish is my main chef's specialty, so he makes it often. I can leave a note for him when he arrives in the morning and he can make a fresh batch." Trafalgar offered happily and Kid couldn't help but take the man up on it.

The older man's expression softened into an appreciative smile. "You are all very close. How long have you all known one another? If you don't mind my asking."

The redhead shrugged, he could tell the other was genuinely interested in learning more about him, but was being careful not to pry. He appreciated the caution and knew that if he shook the question off the doctor wouldn't press him. It made him feel more comfortable with the older man. "I don't mind, it's not a really personal question. I was... ten, I think. Maybe younger. Snake and Spine were about thirteen, they're twins, fraternal or something. Heat was almost fifteen and Wire was seventeen."

The dark haired man tilted his head curiously. "So you are the youngest of your friends and by a significant degree. Almost ironic, perhaps, as you are the leader of your group." The tone was light and held no ill intent.

Kid shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. It just worked out like that. We met and things just clicked into place like it was the way it'd always been. Don't get me wrong, they've all got minds of their own, I just end up making some decisions."

More than that though, he had made a lot of important ones. Even as a child, the redhead had been protective of the other boys and had spilled blood, some of it his own, on their behalf more than a few times.

Eustass Kid had dreams, goals he wanted to accomplish, but not at all costs. Some prices were too high.

"So what about you? How'd you meet the hatted wonder?" The younger man asked with interest. "Is there a story? You two seem different but close."

Trafalgar nodded. "It's a funny story actually."

For a while they talked and ate until all the plates were cleaned, and finally they settled on a movie Kid had already seen but still enjoyed. It involved a screw up younger brother that joined the navy and ended up losing his brother while fighting aliens.

The older of the two seemed very amused by the movie at least, the first scene where the main character handed a stolen burrito to the love interest as he was being tazered by the cops was hilarious. And oddly one of the most romantic things Kid had ever seen.

They laughed through most of it, and the redhead had been pleasantly surprised when the other knew the classic rock music played during some scenes. When it ended, they talked about their favorite parts and what they would have changed, how well the characters had been played and the hope for a sequel one day.

They chose another movie, one Kid hadn't seen as of yet but had heard a little about. It wasn't nearly as good as the first and they eventually spent most of it talking with the film as background noise.

The teen learned the different kinds of music the older man liked, which showed an eclectic taste. Kid hadn't known it was possible to like classical piano artists and old rock and roll, heavy metal, as well as indie and country. The red eyed student had agreed with the other's taste for rock, and in turn revealed a secret love for violin music, how he loved hearing the cello in newer metal bands, and how he liked certain pop music.

They exchanged band names to look up in their spare time as well as some books. It turned out they had both read some of the same fictional titles, then recommended some more they had previously enjoyed.

Eventually, Trafalgar picked another movie at random and it was more interesting than the last, but not enough to completely hold their attention for the whole of it, letting them exchange short sentences in between the good parts.

* * *

Law looked down at his shoulder, the teen slumped against him dozing lightly, and the doctor smiled at the utterly relaxed expression on his ward's face.

Tonight had been far more enjoyable and productive than he could have hoped for. At best he had thought to try and bring up a subject that had been pressing at him since their time at the bar, maybe enjoy a movie or two. This had been so much better, and perhaps the most fun he's had in months. Years if he were truly honest with himself.

He stilled his hand when he made once more to try and smooth it through those brilliant red strands, the boy's goggles having been removed long ago, wanting to feel the softness between his fingers but not wanting to disturb the other just yet.

The businessman thought on more the night thus far, how much he had learned about his Eustass' preferences, and even some personal details. He felt warmth bloom in his chest that the other had been relaxed enough around him to share those precious facts.

It was a sign of great progress.

Much like how Eustass had arrived in a far more fitting style of clothing today, Law was slowly being allowed in closer to this wonderful puzzle that made up his charge.

' _Yes, **much**  more fitting_.' The dark haired man almost  _purred_  as he glanced down at the blue cotton pants the teenager was wearing. He thought back to how he had stumbled before catching himself quickly, having focused a little too much on something while walking up the stairs.

Had Eustass been aware, he would have known that Law had gotten distracted by his... appreciation of the younger man's change of wardrobe. Particularly the way the cotton stretched tightly over his backside with each step up the stairs.

The doctor took a deep breath to calm any stirring interest his body felt and glanced around his room, pulling his phone carefully from his pocket to check the time. It was well past midnight and he should usher the youth off to his own bed, least Law be tempted to have him climb into his own.

He was truly no saint and there was really only so much temptation he could stand.

So, regretfully, he gently rubbed his hand between the redhead's shoulder blades, slowly rousing the other. "Eustass-ya, it's late, I think you should get some sleep."

There was an answering murmur and instead of standing to walk back to his own room, the younger man just moved over and laid down on the couch fully, legs kicking over into the surgeon's lap, painted toes wiggling for a moment before going still once more.

Law huffed in amusement, he would prefer the other man rest properly in a bed, but this would be fine. He would sleep on the other end of the couch, not wanting to sleep in his bed while his ward took the couch, it was a sixteen foot wraparound so there was plenty of room.

The businessman gingerly lifted the sleepy redhead's feet from his lap, innerly remarking on how relaxed the other acted around him when tired.

As he stood up, he caught sight of something crumpled on the ground and realized it belonged to the younger man, the coat having fallen to the floor at some point.

Law leaned over to pick it up then straightened it out and folded it over an arm before deciding to take it to his closet for now and grab some blankets while he was there.

As he walked quietly down the stairs and crossed the room, he made a mental note to grab the pillows from his bed. There were throw pillows on the couch, of course, but the doctor wasn't too fond of the idea of using them to sleep on for more than a nap. He doubted Eustass would appreciate a stiff neck either.

Law hummed softly once he opened one of the only two closed doors, which lead into a large room. Though slightly smaller than his bedroom, the closet was honestly bigger than what he really needed, as he was quite sure that two stories was not utterly necessary for storing clothes, but it was what he had long since become accustomed to.

He continued past the first floor, ignoring the hundreds of suits, ties, expensive shoes, and everything he usually wore on a day to day basis, and up the steps to the second and more important floor.

The dark haired man stopped for a moment and sighed. This floor was a bit more sparse, but held more preferable things than what lay below it. This part held jeans, jewelry, shirts, coats, boots, and all his street-wear for when he went out, rare as it was nowadays, with friends. While it was all equally expensive, the differences between the two floors were like night and day. Most of it were gifts from past birthdays, holidays or just from when a friend grew tired of seeing him in his stiff suits.

Law always felt tired when entering this room, as it just showed starkly how complicated yet utterly empty his life was.

' _That is changing now_.' He thought with satisfaction.

The doctor blinked when he felt his lover's coat slip from his hold and made to catch it before it fell, only to upend it. He frowned when he heard some things clatter to the ground. He felt his stomach drop and hoped he hadn't broken anything of value.

Pulling the coat to the side and straightening it properly, he knelt down to replace the items into the pockets. There were keys, some change, a chewed up pen, and what looked to be some balled up copper wire as well as a pocket tool. Next to it all laid something much bigger, a silver box of some kind.

Law let his curiosity overcome him after replacing the other items back into the coat, turning the tin around in his hands. It was solid silver and not cheap, and other than some designs along the sides, on the front there was an almost cartoonish skull with black points like a sun around it.

He contemplated opening it until a voice reached him. "Trafalgar, where are you?"

The older man jerked his head up and quickly closed and shoved the tin into a random pocket. "Coming, Eustass-ya."

He hurriedly placed the coat carefully on one of his racks then left the room. A moment later he came jogging back to grab some blankets from a shelf.

He finally returned to find a sleepy looking redhead peering down from the loft, the youth rubbing his face tiredly. "Where'd you go?"

"Just to do some things. Do you want to go back to your room now? If not, I have some blankets we can use." The doctor spoke softly as he climbed the stairs carefully, balancing the folded covers topped with pillows.

His Eustass seemed to think about it for a moment, Law smiled when it seemed he had slipped back to sleep before jolting back awake and mumbling a response. "Here's fine."

When the red haired teen laid back down, the older man patted his shoulder for him to raise up and slipped a pillow beneath his head, tossing a blanket over him. After he turned back from fixing his own side of the couch, he quietly laughed to see that both pillowed head and painted toes had disappeared beneath the covers.

"Good night, Eustass-ya." Law smiled. ' _We have much to talk about tomorrow_.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To everyone who has commented, you are amazing and wonderful and don't think for a minute I haven't read your comments and fangasmed over you! I see you, you beautiful readers! -blows kisshus- 
> 
> Also, this is an answer to a review's question that I thought might help anyone else with the same question!
> 
> Reviewer: The DCG  
> Question: ((Though, um, have you changed their physical proportions? I only wonder because this: "The older man was suddenly very close, pressed up against him and his face tilted slightly downwards to look at him..." implies Law is looking _down_ at Kid? Which I didn't think was right, so I popped over to the wiki, and Kid has three inches on Law, so unless Law is wearing six inch heels or something... Kinda petty, I know, but it's one of those things that gets me. A quick N.B. that Kid hasn't reached his full height, or whatever is fine, as long as it's explained.))
> 
> Yes! Law is looking down at Kid! And you are completely correct. :) It is due to a mix of the high heeled boots Law usually wears and the fact that Kid is only 19 at the moment while Law is 25, most men don't stop growing until they hit 21 so he has a little growth spurt due. :)
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed this update and I hope to be back soon with more!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I hope you enjoy this update ;D Finally a little bit of spiciness for all you loyal readers! -bows- Thank you all for your wonderful comments and sticking with me despite such late updates all the time. DX I LOVE YOU!

Kid grumbled when he was jostled for a second time, the light sound of things being moved around pricking at his subconscious.

He tried pulling the blanket over his head some more, but hissed when his feet were exposed as a result. Tussled and tangled red hair poked out from the blanket as he peeked through a gap in the covers to squint at the outside, then pulled it open further. "Whadda doin?"

Trafalgar looked up, a harsh exhale of air escaping him as the other man was obviously trying hard not to laugh at the grumpy boy.

"I thought I would bring up a few choices of coffee and other things, as I wasn't sure when you would wake, or what you would like." The doctor laid two thermos to the side and sat a few small tubs of cream next to them, as well as a medium sized pitcher of milk. Some crackers, cheeses, sliced cold cuts of different meats, and some fruit remained on the tray. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Kid huffed and sat up a bit more, rubbing his eyes until he saw little star burst patterns behind his eyelids. "Pretty good." He yawned.

He became aware of the urge to take a leak, but felt it could wait a bit longer. The teenager leaned over and picked up a piece of what looked like ham, placed it on a cracker, then popped it into his mouth. Not his favorite kind of meat, but it was good. "How long have you been up? Time is it?"

The redhead looked around for a clock then rummaged in his bag next to the couch for his phone. He frowned when he didn't see his coat, but then remembered the other man putting it away or something last night.

Kid's phone read eleven AM, and he grumbled, laying back down on his side while occasionally plucking a cracker and some cheddar to nibble on. "Don't you ever sleep? You went to bed way after I did and you've obviously been up way longer than me too."

Trafalgar just shrugged as though the question wasn't important. "I sleep, just not very much. I have a bit of a case of extreme insomnia. But as it has not overly affected my health and it allows me to get most of my work done in a timely manner. I have long since given up wasting time with finding a means to correct it, for I do not see it as a serious problem." The dark haired man placed a tall coffee cup closer to Kid and motioned to the thermos.

"I guess that's one way of looking at it..." The younger man opened one of the thermos and smelled its contents before pouring a bit into one of the cups to sample; it tasted like heaven mixed with caramel.

_'Sure as hell explains those.'_  Kid thought while eyeing the deep dark circles beneath the other man's eyes. He shrugged it off and poured the coffee into his cup, adding a good bit of milk and plenty of sugar.

* * *

After a quiet breakfast, the redhead not quite up for conversation after having just woken up, and with Law simply enjoying the peacefulness between them, they decided to watch a new TV series Eustass said he had been wanting to see for some time; a funny show branched off from a series of movies, featuring a bunch of librarians running around and saving the world from wild magic.

Law had been so engrossed in the show with its intriguing mix of feasible science, spotted with historical facts, and humorous characters that he almost jolted when he noticed one of the servants having entered with Penguin to deliver a late lunch.

The businessman glanced at his phone. "Is it already four o'clock?"

Penguin just grinned. "Well, aren't  _we_  looking comfortable?~" The hat wearing man was obviously referring to the way both of the couch's occupants were laying with their legs entangled with one another's, backs propped up with pillows on opposite ends of the furniture, and sharing a thin blanket.

The dark haired surgeon glowered at the valet when he felt his Eustass shift uncomfortably at the attention and retract his legs.

Law seriously contemplated docking his  _supposed_  friend's pay.

* * *

Seeming to sense an odd air between the two older men, the female servant, whom Kid remembered from his first day there, spoke quickly. "Today's lunch is more takoyaki with a side of vegetable fried rice!"

The green haired girl suddenly beamed as Kid got up from the couch to grab the tray from her with a murmured 'thanks'. "Ah! Hatchin told me to tell you that he will have the batch of takoyaki ready to go for your friend by this evening! He's taking a lot of extra care in making this one."

Kid blinked in surprise, having forgotten about it momentarily, but happy that Trafalgar had remembered to ask about it. "Oh, thanks, um?"

"Keimi-ya, how are your nieces? I had heard that they have been diagnosed with a rather nasty cold." The doctor had a bit of a concerned look on his face. "If it is of no trouble to you, I would like to drop by tomorrow to check up on them."

'Keimi' was suddenly waving her arms wildly and speaking frantically at a rapid pace. "Nooooooo! I mean, that would be so kind! But no! You don't have to! I mean, you're always so busy and you already paid for the doctors' visits and medication and, and-"

Seemingly used to his employee's outbursts, the businessman simply shrugged. "I have been taking a bit of time off recently, here and there. And even if I weren't, I would want to be kept informed about the health of my staff and those close to them. You often take care of your nieces, correct? If you were to become ill as well it would affect your work. Besides," he smirked slightly, his tone teasing, "what is the point of working for me if one cannot receive constant top of the line medical care at the very least?"

After one more feeble attempt to gently turn Trafalgar down, the green haired servant gratefully accepted, saying that the girls would be excited to see him again.

Not long after that, Penguin and Keimi left, taking the cups, small plates and trays from breakfast with them.

Kid pulled one of the smaller plates of takoyaki they had brought towards him, stabbing one of the little balls with a fork and lightly dunking it in a small bowl of sauce that Trafalgar said had been made from scratch by the previously mentioned 'Hatchin', as the funny girl had called him. "The guy should open a restaurant, he'd make a ton of money."

The dark haired man nodded as he nibbled on a piece of his own as well. "That is his intention. He and Keimi are working towards that goal together. I honestly wouldn't mind loaning them the money to start their business venture, but they said it was something they wanted to work for on their own. I personally wish them the best of luck." He mused.

Kid glanced at him subtly. It always felt surprisingly weird somehow when the tattooed man gave praise so easily, a small part of him always expecting Trafalgar to show some kind of characteristic that linked him to the other entitled assholes he had met before.

It felt nice to not be vindicated once in a while.

They talked for a bit, Kid complaining how hot it was getting now that it was the beginning of July so all the buses were starting to feel like ovens.

Trafalgar had once again made it clear that the redhead could call on one of the drivers that the other man employed to take Kid wherever he needed to go. Or if he was really uncomfortable with that, to use the debit card that had been given to him for a cab.

It took a bit of prodding from Trafalgar for the student to finally agree to use his card when needed; but only because Kid was seriously worried about getting heatstroke if the weather got any hotter.

He wasn't that against warmer temperatures, but there was only so much one could take off before getting arrested for indecent exposure.

It had happened to the twins more than once.

Eventually, the younger man grew a little restless from sitting still for so long now that his focus was not completely captured by what was on the TV, so he stood up to walk around a bit. Trafalgar offered to take a walk around one of the gardens.

After Kid agreed, a bit interested in seeing more of the grounds, the other man led them to the French doors he had passed by last night.

Once the doors were opened and he was waved forward, the redhead hesitated and asked if he would need his boots, as he was currently barefoot. Trafalgar said no and motioned again for him to continue walking.

Kid looked around curiously, but so far saw mostly green. It was like he had stepped into a hallway made of ivy. Then a hand on the small of his back lightly pushed him onward.

A brief walk on the stone path led them to an opening that sprawled out onto a wooden deck overlooking a large artificial pond that was fed into by a small waterfall.

"This... is nice." Kid said quietly. It was a hell of an understatement, but he wasn't sure what else to say.

"I am glad you like it. You may come here whenever you like, it's private so you won't be disturbed." Trafalgar offered mildly. "The pond is heated and deep enough to swim in if you would like to do so."

The younger man blinked at the information. "So, basically, it's a pond that's actually a pool?" At the other's nod, he walked down the short steps to the grass, digging his toes into the cool dirt.

Kid looked up to see the long tinted glass overhang that sheltered the deck from the rain, and too much sun probably, then looked around more. He noted a wooden outdoor showering stall where Trafalgar probably cleaned up after swimming.

The vision he had of Trafalgar, shirtless and relaxing here was oddly... nice.

Kid almost grumbled at the inadequate wording. He really needed to work on his vocabulary as he was getting a little frustrated with his seeming lack of ability to match whatever he was feeling to words; which had been happening more and more lately.

Ignoring his irritation, he moved further along, still looking around as he made his way over to the pond.

The area was fenced in by a tall old looking brick wall covered in more ivy so the brick itself was almost unnoticeable. Off to the side of the pond, a small stone path led from it to the wooden shower, which was also connected to the deck to prevent muddy feet after washing.

Kid finally reached the pool and sat down at the edge, leaning forward to peer into it before pulling up the legs of his pants. He slowly let his feet, then his legs up to his knees, be submerged in the surprisingly warm water, and kicked his legs a bit with childish satisfaction.

The redhead looked up when another pair of legs appeared alongside his own, Trafalgar apparently having decided to join him.

"This feels rather relaxing, doesn't it? We can swim later if you like. I'm sure I can find some proper swim wear-" Kid didn't let the other man finish, surprising him by throwing the shirt he had quickly pulled off himself into Trafalgar's face. There was a small splash as the student eagerly slid into the water, grinning up at the startled doctor when he removed the shirt from his face.

Kid smirked at Trafalgar as the businessman folded the offending garment neatly. "What are you waiting for?"

An amused expression crossed Trafalgar's features before he tugged off his own shirt.

Kid thought he may have made a bit of a mistake, as he suddenly found his eyes glued to the sight of his benefactor's bare chest, because, really, the tight shirt from the bar had done  _nothing_  for him. Well, at least he got an answer to one of his questions.

The tattoos went a lot further than his arms.

_'What kinda doctor is built like that?!'_  The redhead tried to keep from gaping at the tattooed and chiseled torso before it was submerged in water.

"You're big..." At the bemused look he received from Trafalgar, Kid quickly realized he had said that out loud and it immediately occurred to him how it sounded so different from what he meant. "I didn't mean  _that_! I meant that you're bigger than I thought you'd be-  _That's not what I meant either!_ " The younger man shut his mouth before his other foot joined the one currently occupying it.

Kid was moments away from an attempt to drown himself, the sound of soft huffing laughter not helping at all, when the other man spoke.

"I understand what you meant. It's not the first time I have received such a reaction." The businessman drifted a bit closer and was silent for a moment. "There's a certain amount of vanity expected in the world of business. Physical fitness can reflect a lot about a person. Admittedly, that is not why I prefer to keep myself in such good condition and neither is it purely for health reasons."

A hand came up to curl another stray lock of red hair behind one overly warm ear, the touch to the sensitive flesh feeling kind of like an electric shock. "What I mean to say is, I shall take your reaction as a personal compliment if you don't mind." Trafalgar's lips quirked a bit and his expression said just how much he appreciated the 'compliment'.

Kid nodded slowly and he quickly changed the subject. "What did you want to talk to me about? Last night, I mean. You said you wanted to talk about something? Sounded a bit important, but I don't think we got around to it..."

But now that he had brought it up, he felt his curiosity rise.

Trafalgar was quiet for a moment before drifting backwards to the ledge, closer to the waterfall this time, and he patted the spot next to him on his left. Kid swam over and backed up alongside him.

"I wanted to talk about the status of our relationship. Specifically, what happened at the club." The younger man was silent as he listened to Trafalgar continue. "What we... did, the moment we shared, led me to wonder if you would like to consider going forward a bit more. Nothing overly intimate, but-" The surgeon moved so he laid a hand on the ledge on either side of Kid, and leaned in a bit closer. "I find I really enjoy kissing you, and I would like your permission to continue that. I wouldn't say no to you enjoying that particular activity whenever you like either. I want to know if you would like to move things further."

Kid was close enough to see every small detail of the tattooed man's face very well, and was currently very fixated on his mouth. "I kinda thought what happened back at Shakky's would have been enough of an answer for you..."

It didn't seem possible, but Trafalgar moved even closer until Kid had to look up, and he could see the small flicks of pale blue in the mostly gray iris of his eyes. "That was then, a moment of heat possibly fueled by drinking that can be waved off. I want to make sure that you still want to push onwards now that we are both more... inhibited. I don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us. Know that I am comfortable with a slow pace. There will be no rushing concerning this."

As a way of answering, Kid pushed the slight buzz of nerves to the back of his mind and leaned forward as well to cautiously press his mouth against the older man's. Trafalgar's lips were just as soft as he remembered; they felt a bit thinner than his own and he could feel the soft rub of the other's facial hair against his chin.

The redhead felt a hot sigh of breath wash over his face, Trafalgar's mouth parting slightly to maybe give Kid the chance to deepen the kiss while those long fingered hands began tracing random patterns on his shoulders and collarbone.

Kid was more at ease with things than he had initially been at the bar now that he somewhat knew what to expect. So he didn't jump or pull away at every light touch he didn't anticipate; now he leaned into the touches with the reassurance that he could stop things whenever he wanted.

The younger man curiously let his tongue slide into Trafalgar's mouth, taking his time to taste and feel. This wasn't like before; when they had been at the club, there had been a sense of urgency between them, but now Kid felt like they had all the time in the world. So, knowing that he was able to take things slow and 'get to know' the other man like this felt... good.

Really good.

Kid tentatively smoothed just his fingertips over the tattooed chest in front of him, hesitating when he accidentally brushed a nipple before pulling away from it, deciding that he wasn't quite ready for that yet and chose to concentrate and trace the inked skin beneath his hands. He wasn't ready for a lot of things yet, but he could at least make this enjoyable for both of them with what he felt comfortable doing.

* * *

Law had been pleasantly surprised when his Eustass had initiated the kiss and took it as a positive sign as well as a milestone of sorts in their overall relationship.

He happily took a backseat and let the less experienced man lead them, opening his mouth wider invitingly, and flicked the tip of his tongue to gently lap at sensitive lips. Law felt no small amount of triumph when his lover's tongue almost cautiously took the bait, the wet muscle then giving a bold lick along the roof of his mouth.

Law moved his hands up to trail his fingers through damp hair and then lowered them to cup the younger man's neck, smoothing his thumbs along the stark jawline. His breath hitched more in surprise than anything when he felt something brush against one of his nipples, glancing down, he smiled slightly into the kiss when the pale hand moved away quickly as if the boy had been caught doing something wrong.

The businessman started rubbing his own thumbs slightly below soft ears tinged just ever so lightly red, humming happily when he felt his Eustass' breath hitch and a shiver go through him at the light brushing of an erogenous zone.

Law was pleased when two arms went around him and pulled him closer, their bodies aligning so nicely that he could feel all the places his hands begged to touch, and he felt Eustass' own hands move a bit more confidentially over his back.

He had just begun to let his fingers trace intricate little patterns all along the redhead's spine, enjoying the little shivers the action brought and the small hard peaks he could feel against his chest, when a loud noise shook them both from their private moment.

"Laaaw! I'm baaaack!"

Eustass snapped to attention in his arms and quickly pulled away from him. Law was openly cursing at the interruption because he knew damn well who the cause was, and just the thought of the impending situation brought forth a pounding headache.

"Laaawww, where are you?!" The plainly whining tone made him want to grab Eustass and hide somewhere in the bushes until the intruder left.

* * *

Kid was confused as hell. ' _Who the hell is that?!_ '

Because the obviously feminine voice did not belong to Penguin, and it sure as hell wasn't Keimi, the only woman he knew of around here.  _'If this is some girlfriend or something, I'm kicking his ass, cause I did **not**  fucking sign up for that shit.'_ The last damn thing he needed in his life was to be the target of some scorned woman's wrath.

He had seen some of the reactions of those wives and girlfriends who caught their spouses with some of the local working ladies.

It was some of the scariest shit he had ever seen in his life.

The voice called again, and Kid turned to ask Trafalgar who it was, but the surgeon was making his way out of the pool with a sigh that carried an air of resignation to it.

"I knew the two of you would meet sooner or later, I was just hoping to put it off." Trafalgar walked over to the showering stall from before and reached inside of a cabinet close to it; it had been narrow and on the other side from Kid's point of view while entering so he hadn't noticed it before. The older man produced two large towels and made his way back to him, holding one out for him. "We may as well go inside, if we keep her for too long, she'll come looking. She has a certain disregard for the rules of this house."

Kid frowned but took the towel anyway as he climbed out. He mostly worked on patting his hair and upper body dry, with his soaked pants on there wasn't much he could do for his lower half until he got something to change into. He couldn't exactly remove them either as he wasn't wearing anything underneath them. Again.

He  _really_  needed to do laundry more often.

* * *

Law sighed again as he ruffled his hair with his own towel before rubbing the rest of himself dry. He wrapped the towel around his shoulders before swiftly stripping off his soaked pajama bottoms.

The subtle choking sound from the other man was enough to make him smile while he bent over; he had purposefully made sure to face in the other direction as he removed his pants to give Eustass the best view possible, leaving him in nothing but the tight black boxer-briefs that left very little to the imagination.

Just because Law had said he would accept any pace the redhead chose, did not mean he was above tempting his inexperienced lover at every possible opportunity.

Law stood up and turned back around, suppressing a smirk of amusement at the sight of how red his Eustass' ears were once again; the teenager was studiously looking at anything but him. Either that or there was something inherently interesting he had yet to discover about the ground beneath their feet.

It made him want to kiss him again.

Though he lost his humor a bit when he noticed how plastered the redhead's pants were to his skin. To say the least, it was enough to know his lover lacked any underwear at the moment.

The doctor swallowed and turned to begin walking towards the doors to face the interruption; he now found that he welcomed a distraction to keep his mind away from any visualizations of himself on his knees in front of Eustass with no intentions of helping him dry off.

As Law entered his main room, he held up a hand to quiet the intruder before moving to his bathroom, retrieving a large and fluffy robe, before handing it almost forcefully to his lover who had just come through the garden doors. He would not be able to keep his concentration with Eustass looking like that.

"Law! Don't ignore me! It's rude. And who's this?" The question was notably more polite than when speaking to the businessman.

"'This' is Eustass Kid, you will be seeing him often and are to him treat hopefully better than you do myself. He and I are seeing one another, so please extend him every courtesy, am I clear?" Law looked up with a frown as the woman looked a little too intensely at Eustass for his liking. "Baby 5, am I clear? It would be... very helpful if you would do so."

He did not have to wait long for the expected reaction. After previously ignoring him, the suddenly bright-eyed woman looked at him with exhilarated determination. "Of course! I'll go and get him something to wear! I don't want him catching a cold because you're an idiot."

Disregarding her insult, Law called out to her where to find his room; she only paused to give him a strange look before disappearing.

An awkward cough brought his attention back to his Eustass, who was still not quite looking at him, and Law remembered he was still mostly naked, so he went back into the bathroom to retrieve a more fitting black silk robe which he shrugged into and tied loosely shut. "I apologize for her, Baby 5 has known me for many years. She is more like an annoying little sister than an employee, she knows this and takes full advantage of the leeway given to her most of the time."

The redhead finally looked at him fully, a frown marring his features. "I take it she doesn't know about... this?" He made a vague gesture between them.

"Ah, no... She has no knowledge of the business side of our 'arrangement'." Law was quiet for a moment and phrased what he was about to say very carefully.

"And, with every respect given to your feelings on the matter, I would caution you to not answer any of her questions concerning the topic. But only because Baby 5 is... very talkative and, quite frankly, could not keep something to herself if her life literally depended on it. If she believes she is needed, whether or not they are obviously lying, she will do anything for that person. It is a fact that makes her very easily manipulated and I don't want her taken advantage of. Which is the main reason despite how we may act towards one another, that I keep her here as a head maid of sorts." Law moved closer to his lover and cautiously brushed the still wet bangs from the other's face. "Please forgive me for this request, I do not want you to think I am ashamed of our relationship in any way, shape, or form."

Law felt tense when Eustass did not say anything for a few moments, his expression somewhat neutral and thoughtful at the same time. At least he did not appear to be angry.

* * *

Kid's mind had been a mix of emotions. First there had been some anger and not just a little humiliation, having automatically made the leap that Trafalgar was in fact embarrassed by him and wanted to keep him as some dirty little secret; but as the older man kept talking and explained, he calmed down.

"It's okay. I know what it's like to want to keep someone safe." Kid could understand Trafalgar's reasons with this one, he would do the exact same thing in his place. If what he said was true, and the redhead doubted Trafalgar would come up with such a ridiculous lie, then Kid would want to take the same precautions to keep her safe.

Keeping someone ignorant of something, even going so far as lying to them, was a small price to pay to protect them; Kid had done so in the past and would not hesitate to do it again.

Kid watched tension he hadn't noticed before begin to leave the other man. Trafalgar was about to say something when the woman returned; it was odd seeing someone walk around in broad daylight dressed as a classic if risqué version of a maid. If Kid had been on the outside looking in, he would think that Trafalgar had a fetish or something; but seeing as Keimi wasn't wearing one, the idea didn't hold any weight to it.

"Here you go!" The woman Kid now knew as 'Baby 5', an odd name to be sure, but the student did not have a lot of room to talk really, handed him an armful of neatly folded clothes.

"Thanks." The maid seemed extremely happy about his gratitude for some reason, but Kid just turned and walked towards the bathroom to take a quick shower and get changed after making sure it was alright to borrow Trafalgar's shower.

* * *

"Spill it."

Law sighed and eyed his liquor cabinet wistfully, knowing now that Baby 5 had returned from her... errands, that she would be demanding to know what was going on. And anything she heard would end up being learned almost immediately by  _him_.

That was the last thing he needed at the moment with how fragile his and Eustass' relationship currently was.

Some times the businessman wondered why he willingly accepted a completely unapologetic spy within his own household; not only accepted, but  _employed_.

"It is really none of your business." Trying to put it off as long as possible, or at least until he could fix himself a glass of his finest whiskey.

"But," he said when she opened her mouth to complain, "I will tell you that it is serious. At least on my part. Beyond that, you will have to wait until a later time to discuss it."

She did not get the chance to object when Eustass rejoined them looking very... enticing in an open button down shirt. The red wine color of it was only a few shades darker than his hair, which offered a beautifully stark contrast from his neck all the way down to just above his waistline.

Law's ire vanished completely and he was now very tempted to give Baby 5 an advance on her allowance for her choice of clothing; especially when he took in how the plain loose black cotton pants hung low on the other man's hips.

He strongly reminded himself that he was letting his lover set the pace of the... physical aspects of their relationship. So it would not be acceptable behavior to order the overly helpful woman out while he gave Eustass a very impromptu full body exam.

For his own health, of course.

The doctor was still holding out hope that his Eustass would join a sports club once the semester started so he could personally conduct the student's sports examination.

He liked to think of himself as somewhat of a decent man, but a saint he certainly was not.

His attention was redirected from his thoughts when he realized Eustass was speaking.

"So, if it's alright, I was... hoping I could catch a ride? I'd take a cab or bus, but I don't want the takoyaki getting ruined before I get it to Heat." Law could tell just this very modest request was making the younger man uncomfortable, so he quickly agreed before Eustass changed his mind.

He liked the fact his lover was slowly if only slightly becoming at ease enough with him to ask for a favor of any kind.

Law desperately wanted to be someone in this man's life who could be depended on. Maybe, one day, even trusted.

He was not a fool. He knew that Eustass did not trust him. Maybe a little, enough to let Law touch him, to kiss him. But not with anything truly personal or important. That was something he would have to earn.

As a well established businessman, he knew nothing worthwhile came from anything easily gained, and winning the trust of Eustass Kid would certainly be anything but easy. It was something he was greatly anticipating working towards.

"Of course. If you don't mind, I will have Penguin drive you as I'm currently down a driver at the moment. I was forced to relieve the previous one of his position due to misplaced faith. Apparently his 'work ethic' had very little to do with actual work," he said dryly.

That man had caused him quite the damn headache when Penguin had brought him a sizable stack of bills, forms, lists of parts replacements needed, the few receipts that his secretary could find, and complete vehicle overhauls that took three arduous days to get through. Law had needed to make many calls and have some people walk him through what exactly it was he was paying for.

He had been reminded strongly why there was a reason he left these sorts of responsibilities to the driver and his valet.

"Fine by me. And I kinda figured that last guy was an ass. He didn't fuck up one of your cars, did he?" Eustass asked with a frown.

"According to Penguin, he 'fucked up' almost all of them. Some were easy fixes, thankfully, so we are still able to get from place to place, but others were more affected by the man's very poor judgment and tendency to only pay for cheap fixes." Law watched as a bright flicker of interest came over the other man's face.

Eustass opened his mouth for a second before he immediately closed it and looked away. "Oh. Well I hope you can get it all fixed soon..."

Law mulled over his lover's reaction and had an idea.

"Eustass-ya, I'm sorry if I am wrong, but you seem like you would be- ah, 'adept' at something like this? Would you be adverse to taking a look the next time you are here? If you are interested, of course. It would be doing me no small favor if you could. I'm probably the farthest you can find from an expert, so it has been slow going..." He waited with anticipation of an answer that would hopefully confirm his thoughts.

There it was, that flash of rapt curiosity. A spark that made those red eyes light up so much it was almost as if they became a few shades brighter.

Eustass was obviously trying not to look too eager but nodded shortly. "I'm not too bad... But yeah, I guess the next time I swing around I could take a look... You're not going to charge me if I break anything, will ya?" The last part was obviously said out of humor.

Law would bet his favorite vacation home that the boy was a lot better than his modesty let on.

"Of course not. Consider it as me taking shameless advantage of a free consultation." Law could easily hire a professional team of mechanics to have all the vehicles back in working order in under a week. But now that the doctor knew he had found something that caught the other's attention, he would disable every car he owned himself for months if it meant possessing an excuse to see his Eustass more.

"Then you got a deal then. I'll see if I have time to come over in about two or three days, if that's alright? I need to get my tools and stuff ready. It'll probably take awhile just to look them all over, so don't be surprised if I end up spending the night for a day or two." Law could practically see the thoughts running through his lover's head as a list was mentally being made.

"I'll look forward to it. Maybe I can finally learn something about these things." Law shot a subtle look at Baby 5, who thankfully got the message and quietly left the room to give them some privacy.

He took a step closer to the younger man, more than satisfied when Eustass made no move to pull away from him. He raised his hands to cradle those pale features before leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to the other man's mouth.

Law drew back soon enough, not willing to push after making so much progress in one day.

Eustass' eyes were angled downward and his ears showed the slightest tinge of red, but he seemed to be overall relaxed with Law's casual affection before pulling back with a few more words and leaving to meet with Penguin for a ride back to his apartment.

Yes. Quite a bit of progress indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> Nyahahahaha! Cliffhanger. ;D -hit in the head with a brick- DX I hope to have the next chapter up in the near future. Letting everyone know ahead of time that, while I have the whole story pretty much plotted out (I even have a plot calendar all nice and typed up! :D), it's NOT written as of yet. So for now I'll probably update every two weeks, but I will do my best to increase updates over time. Please be patient with me. -bows-
> 
> If anyone has any issues with any seemingly OOCness, please do tell me. However, to make it clear, this IS an AU. Personality traits will be kept, but this is an Eustass Kid who has not lived the life on the seas and, therefore, will have reasonable differences. That said, I will do my best to stay true to the foundation of the characters themselves. :)
> 
> Thank you for reading this chapter and I hope you will stick around for more. If you feel up to it, please tell me what you think in a review. :D And, PLEASE, no review is too short, you will absolutely NOT be bothering me! If you have any questions or advice, or just want to chat about OP or how the moon may be full of unicorns, please go right on ahead! :D I love making new friends! -flutters social butterfly wings- Just don't pin me and put me on display in a glass case. D: I'm fluffy and don't do well in tight places!
> 
> For anyone who is interested, feel free to drop by my tumblr account. :D It'll be posted on my profile.


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